Pure Hearts and Jagged Souls
by Jet Engine
Summary: When Kirby defeated Nightmare twenty years ago, peace was brought to Dreamland. Or, so it seemed. Meta Knight learns that one monster, which may even be more powerful than Nightmare himself, is still out there, biding its time. Kirby and Meta Knight must face their greatest foe yet, and they quickly discover that even purest of hearts can be corrupted under the right circumstances.
1. Prologue

**There are several fanfics I should be working on. So, let's start a new one, why don't we?**

 **This prologue is basically just exposition, things you already know. The story itself takes place roughly twenty years after the anime, but you really don't have to see _Hoshi no Kaabii_ ( _Kirby of the Stars_ )/ _Kirby: Right Back at Ya_ to know what's going on. While there are going to be a lot of aspects from the anime, there are also going to be a lot of video game elements too. It's kind of a Meta Knight-centric fic, but Kirby plays a big role too.**

 **So, my fellow pufflings - that's what I'm calling Kirby's species because "puffball" is used by pretty much everyone and I want to be different - let's begin.**

* * *

 **Prologue: Nightmare in Dreamland**

Everyone has nightmares from time to time. They are dreams that make you feel frightened, that make you shiver over things that go bump in the night. But, nightmares aren't real. They are merely your imagination. They can't hurt you, right?

Right, but this is not the nightmare that many of you are familiar with.

In this story, Nightmare was a mysterious and terrifying being who was very real, seeking not only to spread the nightmares you know of across Dreamland, but also to reign over this lush and colorful world. So, he created Nightmare Enterprises (NME), a "business" that sold monsters to the inhabitants of planets all across Dreamland. These monsters - or "demon beasts," as they were called on some planets - were promised to assist customers with whatever problem was plaguing them. In actuality, the monsters were used to wreak havoc and help create the fear that inspired bad dreams. Each and every monster was fiercely loyal to its creator.

But, as they say, there is an exception to every rule.

One monster did not obey. This monster was meant to be Nightmare's most powerful monster, the one that would lead his armies and destroy everything that stood in their path. His greatest creation...was the only one that fought back.

As punishment, it was cast out, its power nullified but not completely, not to be seen again for many years to come.

What was meant to be Nightmare's strongest ally would eventually become his greatest adversary. One with an agenda of its own.

* * *

The Star Warriors were the beings who opposed Nightmare, who fought to protect those who couldn't fight, to protect Dreamland as a whole. They were the ones who dedicated themselves to serving the force of good and went into battle knowing they may not come back.

Most of them didn't come back.

There were more monsters than there were Star Warriors. Though they fought valiantly, they were overpowered. After a war that waged for several days, the monsters retreated. Not because they were defeated, but because there were no more Star Warriors to slaughter.

Or, so they thought.

The lone survivor gazed at the deserted battlefield from his vantage point atop the cliff. So much death. His comrades, his friends, all killed in one way or another. By monsters, by infected injuries...by mercy killing…

Steeling himself, despite the heaviness in his heart and the tears in his eyes, the last Star Warrior turned away and set off to find a way to finally bring peace. If such a way still existed.

* * *

 **So, that basically sums up the backstory of this fic. This is my first Kirby fanfiction, and I think it's going well so far. Until next time, review!**

 **PS. I am well aware that more than one Star Warrior survived. But, Meta Knight didn't know that back then, so... Also, expect future chapters to be longer.**


	2. Cappy New Year Redux

**The first chapter is here! Time to show you all my interpretation of adult Kirby. Or, kind of adult Kirby. You'll see what I mean. Also, other people are all grown up now, so that's fun.**

* * *

 **Chapter One: Cappy New Year Redux**

" _Happy birthday, dear Kirby. Happy birthday to you!_ "

Kirby wasn't really listening to the Cappies' song. He was too excited! Pink balloons and multi-colored streamers peppered the town, and Christmas lights (he was told the other lights broke somehow) lit the night up with greens and reds. A long table had been brought out, and the Cappies sat at it, singing to him. Also, there was a _huge strawberry shortcake, and he wanted it so bad_! How could anyone pay attention to anything when that big honkin' plate of goodness was sitting right there in inhaling-distance?

Technically, it wasn't his birthday. Or, maybe it was. No one really knew, but this was the anniversary of when his spaceship crash-landed on Popstar, so it was pretty much considered his birthday.

And, the _cake_! That cake, his favorite flavor at that, was enormous, probably to compensate for A) the whole town minus King Dedede and Escargoon being there and B) Kirby's own appetite. If it was up to him, he'd swallow the whole thing in one sitting. But, that wouldn't be fair. His friends worked hard on this party. They deserved to enjoy it too.

"Go on, Kirby. Make a wish," Tiff said.

Kirby grinned at her. Tiffany Ebrum was his childhood best friend and, since Dr. Yabui's retirement, the town's doctor. Ah, yes, good ol' Tiff. Sweet and smart, stubborn and short-tempered. Kirby recalled having a crush on her when he was a teenager. He probably would have asked her out if she hadn't been ten years older than him. Well, technically, he was...lots of years older than her, but mentally the age-gap worked the other way. Or, maybe it didn't. Their age difference was kind of confusing, but as far as he was concerned, she was older than him. Right now, she was smiling back at him, her big green eyes sparkling under the artificial lighting. Her long blond hair, usually pulled back into two braids, was loose and flowing down her back and over her shoulders. Kirby wished she'd keep her hair down more often, but he supposed that would make her doctor stuff harder.

"Yeah, come on, Kirby," Tuff urged.

Tuff was Tiff's younger brother and Chief Bookem's deputy. Though he'd calmed down a lot over the years, Tuff was still strong-willed and adventurous and raring for action. His dark blond hair was buzzed, and unlike in his childhood, you could actually see his eyes, which matched his sister's perfectly. Kirby recalled an incident when he was little and still learning to talk, when Tuff tricked him into calling Meta Knight "Papa." Kirby had done just that...for a month, despite Meta Knight constantly telling him to stop.

Speaking of Meta Knight… Kirby searched around. Surely, the old Star Warrior wouldn't miss Kirby's party, would he? There. There he was. Standing...on the roof of Kawasaki's, his navy blue cape, just a shade darker than his skin tone, was wrapped tightly around him as usual as he watched Kirby from above, yellow eyes seemingly glowing beneath his mask. Meta Knight always seemed a bit on the paranoid side, even after Kirby had defeated Nightmare all those years ago. Either way, fifty percent of the times Kirby saw him, his friend/mentor was standing on something, probably to get a high vantage to better watch over the townsfolk. Or, maybe it was a height complex. Either way.

Even after all this time, Kirby could never quite figure him out. Meta Knight was easily the most closed off and introverted person Kirby had ever met. Whether it was some kind of PTSD from the war against Nightmare or just the Star Warrior's personality or both, he wasn't sure. The two of them had grown closer over the years, but there was still so much that Kirby didn't know about him.

The other Cappies were starting to egg him on, now. "Yeah, come on, Kirby!" they cheered. "Make a wish!"

They certainly couldn't eat before he wished for something and blew out the candle. But, what to wish for? Looking at all his closest friends, at all the townsfolk who had helped raise him like a bunch of surrogate parents, there really wasn't anything Kirby wanted that he didn't already have. He glanced back up at Meta Knight, and it came to him. His mentor was always saying that growing older would give him new abilities and make him stronger, and one day he would unlock his full potential. And, he would know, since they were the same species. Kirby remembered the first time he saw Meta Knight without his mask on. His reaction had been, "Wait, is that what you look like without your mask? Dude, you're basically a blue me. That's kinda awesome!" This had earned him a quick smack in the back of the head.

Kirby nodded, his mind made up. He pressed his hands against the table and leaned forward, which was much easier now that he had actual arms. The number twenty-shaped candle had been placed low enough on the cake for Kirby to reach, and he closed his eyes and made his wish.

 _I wish I could reach my full potential._

He blew out the candle, and the Cappies cheered.

* * *

Meta Knight's eyes briefly turned an amused pink, when Kirby demanded that they cut the cake "now, right now, before my heart explodes!" The Cappies laughed, and Meta Knight let out a light chuckle himself. Tiff cut the cake and started passing out slices, but Meta Knight's eyes were on practically-drooling puffling next to her. It felt like only yesterday when a baby Kirby - awoken two hundred years too soon - had crash-landed on the outskirts of Cappy Town. Now, look at him. He'd still been an _infant_ , when he defeated Nightmare, and Meta Knight thought that he would never be more proud of his former-student than he was back then. Turns out, he was wrong. The young Star Warrior was constantly finding new ways to impress him. Yes, Kirby had certainly grown into a fine young man.

"CAKE!" Kirby screamed before grabbing a huge slice out of Tiff's hands and stuffing the whole thing, plate and all, into his mouth.

Okay, man _child_.

It was mind-boggling, really, how _pure_ Kirby still was, despite all that he'd seen and done in his life. Nightmare, Dark Matter, Yin-Yarn… So many monsters, so many dangers, so much evil, yet Kirby still retained that sense of joy and whimsy that he'd had way back when. Meta Knight had seen and done things just as frightening, but he'd subconsciously withdrawn into himself because of it. Not that he wasn't quiet and serious before, but still. He wondered how Kirby did it.

"Yo, Captain Blueberry!" He was dragged out of his thoughts by a familiar and much-hated nickname. "Stop being weird and enjoy yourself."

Meta Knight looked down and saw Kirby smiling up at him, another plate of cake in his hand. Meta Knight jumped down from the single-story building, his cape billowing behind him, and landed perfectly next to his fellow puffling. "Happy anniversary, my friend."

Kirby grinned wider and handed him the plate. "Brought you some cake. You can eat it here, or you can eat it somewhere no one will see your face. Your call."

"Thank you." Smiling behind his mask - Kirby wasn't the only one who loved sweets - Meta Knight took the plate. "I should probably warn you ahead of time. You will not receive a gift from me tonight."

Kirby shrugged. "So? I told everyone gifts were optional. I mean, I think everyone got me something anyway, if that pile under the tree is any indication, but if you didn't get me anything, it's no biggy."

"You did not let me finish. Long story short, I called in a favor, but your gift is going to take longer than anticipated to arrive. I cannot predict when you will receive it."

Kirby frowned. "Favor? Someone owe you, or something?"

"You might say that."

Kirby shrugged. "Well, thanks for telling me." He grinned and rolled his dark blue eyes. "I promise not to be totally devastated." Meta Knight chuckled. Kirby pointed up at the roof. "So, what were you doing up there, anyway?"

"Sentry duty, of course." Kirby clicked his tongue and looked at anything else. Meta Knight frowned. "What?"

"Well, um." Kirby shrugged. "I wasn't gonna say anything, but I think your mind's still stuck on NME."

Meta Knight blinked in confusion. "I beg your pardon?"

"Look, man, I know there are still monsters out in the wild, and I know there are plenty of other dangerous things in the world. But, Nightmare's gone, NME's gone, Dedede can't order any more monsters. You need to realize that, no matter how hard you try, you can't always stop bad things from happening. And, you can't always be there when they happen, either. Would I like to be around to stop all the bad things in the world from happening? Absolutely. But, I can't. And, neither can you. The sooner you stop stressing yourself out and simply enjoy your life, the better off you'll be. Now, be a good boy, and eat your cake."

* * *

 **Kirby is wise beyond his years. He also enjoys cake. And, apparently plates. But, look how well he holds back from eating all of it! Our boy's all grown up (physically)! Review!**

 **PS. For fun, I made up a list of five songs (in no particular order) that describe this story pretty well. Make of them what you will.**

 _ **The Devil Within -**_ **Digital Daggers**

 _ **Control -**_ **Halsey**

 _ **One Day Too Late -**_ **Skillet**

 _ **Call Me -**_ **Shinedown**

 _ **Disappear -**_ **Evanescence**


	3. Growing Pains

**Today's chapter gives us a look into a subject we _all_ wanna hear about: childbirth! Sarcastic yay! Don't worry, though. It's just a discussion. There's nothing graphic.**

 **Yet.**

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Growing Pains**

Tuff had just walked out of the examination room, not before giving his sister a brotherly pat on the back, so now Tiff and Kirby were alone. Kirby was standing on that table-thingy with the papery stuff on it - for the life of him, he just couldn't remember what that table was called - still staring in amazement at the…picture-thing in his hands.

Wow, he knew _nothing_ about medical stuff.

Tiff insisted that the thing in the picture was her baby, but it didn't look much like a baby. Kirby tilted it this way and that, squinted at it, flipped it upside-down. He supposed it _kind of_ resembled a baby. Then again, he barely knew anything about the babies of his own kind, let alone of humans. His thoughts wandered to Tiff's husband. Callum was a good guy. A bit reckless at times, but still really nice. Kirby's grip tightened on the picture. Monsters didn't come around as often as they used to, but they still happened.

A WolfWrath. Of course, it _had_ to be a WolfWrath. Made even worse by that fact that this one had been rabid. Callum had come to watch Kirby and Meta Knight's training session in the canyon, but that stupid monster just _had_ to show up. They'd managed to put the thing out of its misery, but Callum…

The next day, Tiff found out she was pregnant. Not even combined forces of Kirby, Tuff, and Meta Knight could coax her out of her bathroom.

Kirby shoved the memory to the back of his mind. Cappy Town was small enough that everybody knew everybody. Which meant that the whole town would help raise her baby.

Tiff's voice brought him back to reality. "Can I look, too?" Kirby's eyes briefly rested on her bulging stomach then moved up to her face. He handed the picture to her, and she sat down beside him, smiling sadly at it. Her next words were so quiet, Kirby could barely hear her. "She's gonna look just like you, Callum."

Since those words obviously weren't meant for him, Kirby asked some questions that had been bugging him for the whole five months of Tiff's pregnancy. He poked her stomach. "Is this normal?" Tiff just looked at him questioningly. "This, uh…" How does one say "weight gain" without saying "weight gain?" "Y'know, this." He poked her again. "This. Is this normal?"

Tiff still seemed confused, then she laughed when it finally dawned on her. "Yes, Kirby. I'm supposed to gain weight."

"Does it hurt when I poke it?"

"No," she said, still grinning, "it doesn't."

"Will it hurt when you spit Kirby Jr. out?" Now, Tiff was staring at him like he'd just changed colors. He shrugged. "I don't know much about human pregnancies. Meta Knight told me that when pufflings give birth, they just spit the baby out. Our stomachs _are_ pocket dimensions, you know."

Tiff opened her mouth, closed it, blinked, blinked again, then spoke. "Uh, no. Humans don't spit out their babies. You don't need to know where they come out, Kirby. Also, I'm having a girl, so I couldn't name her Kirby Jr., even if I wanted to."

"You could still name her Kirby. Just put an 'I' at the end instead of a 'Y.' Isn't that how girl names work?" Tiff rolled her eyes. "You didn't answer my question, though. Will it hurt when Kirbi Jr. pops out of wherever she pops out of?"

Tiff nodded. "Yeah. It'll hurt a lot, but it'll be worth it."

"Oh. How long will it hurt?"

Tiff pursed her lips at that. "The average is roughly eight hours, but it's different for everyone. There's really no way to know until it happens."

Kirby just cringed at the thought. Eight hours? His best friend could be hurting for _eight hours straight_? "I don't like this, Tiff. I don't like seeing you scrape your knee. Let alone _eight hours_ of baby-popping."

Tiff smiled softly and placed a hand on his shoulder. "That's sweet, Kirby, but this is perfectly natural for my kind. Like I said, it'll hurt, but it'll be worth it." Tiff hopped off the table. "Wanna grab lunch? I've been craving Kawasaki's none-stop for days. My cravings are probably the best thing that ever happened to his business."

Still uncertain about all this but willing to let it go in place of food, Kirby grinned. "You've been craving all kinds of stuff, Miss Peanut-Butter-and-Swiss-Cheese-Sandwich. Even I wouldn't eat that!"

Tiff laughed and shrugged. "Just another side effect of being pregnant. I can't wait 'til I can go back to eating like a normal person." She frown suddenly. "By the way, Kirby, what happened to your back?"

Kirby blinked at her. His back had been hurting him a little, but he didn't think it was that obvious. Must have been her doctor skills. "What do you mean?" he asked, feigning ignorance. He didn't want anyone worrying about him.

Tiff pointed at the ground and moved her finger in a circle. "Turn around." Kirby did as he was told. He felt her rest a hand on his back, and he involuntarily cringed when she hit a sore spot. "These are some pretty bad bruises, Kirby. What happened?"

"Nothing," Kirby insisted. "I probably just got hit by a monster or something. It's no big deal."

Tiff seemed skeptical but didn't push the matter.

* * *

 _Clang! Clang! Clang!_

The canyon was devoid of life, except for the former-student and former-teacher. At least, Meta Knight considered them equals now. Kirby still thought of them as mentor and student. Kirby - not Sword Kirby, as that would be cheating - had gotten quite good with his borrowed blade, and it was clear that he had been practicing his Guard. If there was anything to critique, it would have to be Kirby's form and posture. Kirby seemed a bit hunched over, his movements a little stiff. Odd, since the young man usually managed to keep his back straight and his attacks fluid. In fact, he almost seemed to be in pain.

Hm. He was about that age…

Meta Knight was about to say something, but Kirby spoke first as their swords collided. "Tiff doing okay?"

At first, Meta Knight had been annoyed when Kirby tried making small talk while they trained. Then, he decided to allow it. Multitasking was a good skill for a knight to have. And, honestly, Kirby was an entertaining person to talk to. "She is fine." Kirby jumped back and charged at him. "She does-" Kirby feinted to the left and _almost_ clipped Meta Knight's shoulder while attacking to the right. Nice move. "She does walk around the castle some nights, but-" Meta Knight jumped and spun, swinging his sword with him. Kirby made a rolling dodge. Meta Knight landed with his back facing his sparring partner. "Insomnia is normal for someone her condition."

Meta Knight turned around and found Kirby hissing, his face scrunched up in pain. Kirby noticed him staring. "I-I'm fine. I probably just landed funny."

Meta Knight sheathed his sword. "Kirby, let me see your back."

"No, I'm okay. Really. It's just a bruise."

"Kirby."

Kirby relented at the "just do as I say" tone. He turned around. Meta Knight approached him, and when he got close enough, Kirby whipped around. Meta Knight unsheathed Galaxia just in time to intercept the attack. The stunned look on Kirby's face was priceless, and Meta Knight smirked under his mask.

"May I see your back now?"

Kirby groaned and turned around. "I can never get the drop on you."

Meta Knight peered carefully at Kirby's back. Two large purplish, bruise-like spots decorated his shoulder blades. He ran his gloved hands over the bulges beneath them, and Kirby flinched at the contact. Just as he'd thought.

"Well?" Kirby asked. "See anything?"

"Your wings are growing in," Meta Knight said simply.

"Oh, okay." Then Kirby whirled on him, eyes wide and grinning like a child on Christmas morning. "I'm finally getting wings?"

Meta Knight smiled softly, his own eyes now a sky blue. "You will be in pain for a while, but it will be worth it once your wings appear. Then, we can finally begin aerial training."

Kirby mouthed the words "aerial training," then said aloud, "I like the sound of that! What are they gonna look like? Are they gonna be cool bat wings like yours?"

Meta Knight shrugged. "Perhaps. Or, perhaps not. It is impossible to say. Why don't we cut today's session short. You've done well today, Kirby. Get some rest. You will need it when we take our swords to the skies."

Kirby nodded and handed back his sword before running off. "Thanks, Meta Knight! See ya later!"

"Goodbye, Kirby," Meta Knight called after him.

Meta Knight couldn't help a longing sigh. It felt as though it were just yesterday that Kirby had first arrived in Dreamland. Now, he was growing wings. As the little pink dot vanished from the horizon, Meta Knight wondered what the future would bring for his fellow Star Warrior.

* * *

 **So, yeah. My headcanon is that, since Kirby and Meta Knight are the same species, Kirby does grow wings at some point. I know I'm not the only one thinks that. Also, Meta Knight can suck things up and get copy abilities, but that won't come up 'til later. Review!**


	4. Meta's Knightmare

**You know how we had a lot of fun and silliness in the first two chapters? Yeah, we're about get real. Not right away, but you know.**

* * *

 **Chapter Three: Meta's Knightmare**

Kirby dreamed of flying. Specifically, of flying with his mentor, their swords colliding as they sparred in the sky. Meta Knight's dark bat wings were spread out behind him, and Kirby's own matching wings - he really hoped his wings would look like Meta Knight's - flapping at the same pace. This time, however, they were not equally matched. This time, Kirby had the upper hand.

All his friends were down below, cheering him on. Kirby launched the sword beam at Meta Knight, and it hit him dead on, sending him hurtling to the ground and exploding on impact. Normally, Kirby would have been concerned, but for some reason he wasn't. He felt proud, triumphant. He descended, landing next to Meta Knight, who shakily lifted himself from where he'd landed.

Kirby smirked. "Had enough, Captain Blueberry?"

Meta Knight laughed, his wings morphing back into a cape. "I must applaud you, Kirby. Your skills have grown considerably since getting your wings, and I am very proud. You truly are a fierce and incredibly handsome Star Warrior."

Music that sounded like an old 8-bit game came out of nowhere, and Kirby jumped and twirled in a victory dance as his friends cheered-

 _Thunk!_

Kirby was jolted awake when he fell out of his bed, his blanket wrapped tightly around him like a spring roll. Shaking off his disorientation, he groaned. Had he really been victory dancing in his sleep again? He had to stop doing that.

* * *

Meta Knight dreamed of flying. Or, more accurately, floating with his wings drawn out. He didn't know where he was. Everything around him was dark, bordering on black, and tiny white stars speckled his surroundings. Was he in space?

A huge gust of wind blew past him. No, it wasn't wind. It was a figure. A shadowy figure that charged at him with a pointed sword-like shape. Or, maybe it was more of a lance. It was difficult to see. Meta Knight tried to bring out Galaxia, but the figure was too fast and clipped his side, slicing through his mask like paper. Meta Knight hissed, and blood drifted out of the wound, the droplets floating through the zero-gravity.

Meta Knight spun around, but the figure was gone. "Where are you?" he called, holding Galaxia threateningly. "Show yourself! I know you're still there!"

Wings flapped behind him. He whipped around. The figure had raised its weapon and seemed to slice through the sky itself. It took off, and the tear widened, revealing a strange magenta glow. The glow brightened, forcing Meta Knight to shield his eyes from it. A huge beam shot out of it, engulfing him a light so agonizing, it was like his very bones were on fire. He couldn't help the scream that broke out of him-

 _Thunk!_

Something had grabbed him. In a panic, he flailed and rolled, trying to break free of his attacker.

Only to realize that his "attacker" was his blanket that was tangled around him and that he had simply fallen out of bed.

Eyes and cheeks dark pink with embarrassment, he sighed. _Thank Nova no one saw that._

"Meta Knight!"

Sword and Blade, swords in hand but still clad in their pajamas, kicked open his door and bolted into his room. Meta Knight almost covered his face out of habit before remembering that the twin dwarves had seen his face many times over the years.

As they looked around the room, matching brown eyes determined, Blade asked, "What happened? You under attack?"

"We heard you scream," Sword added.

Feeling humiliated all over again, Meta Knight kicked off his blanket and got to his feet. "Your concern is appreciated, but I'm fine. Just a nightmare, is all." His knaves visibly relaxed upon hearing this. "Now, return to your quarters. We have training in the morning, don't forget."

"Yes, sir," they said.

"Oh, and Sword," Meta Knight said as they were walking out. Sword looked back, and Meta Knight smirked. "Nice cherries," he commented, referring to the print on the dwarf's pajamas.

Blade snorted, and Sword blushed and muttered, "They're comfortable, alright?"

* * *

 _Kabu wishes to see you, Meta Knight._

Training had been cut short. Galaxia's message echoed through his mind. Galaxia didn't speak to him often, and it was always extremely important when the legendary sword did. Sword and Blade offered to come, but Meta Knight had a feeling that this was something he needed to do himself. Ducking through alleys and leaping through treetops to avoid being seen, Meta Knight quickly made his way to the ruins that lay beyond Whispy Woods Forest. It would likely have been quicker to simply fly there, but he refused to show the Cappies his wings. The last thing he wanted was for someone to mistake him for a monster.

His thoughts wandered to Kirby. It had been a week since Meta Knight had noticed the bulges on the young Star Warrior's back. It wouldn't be long before his wings came out. Knowing Kirby, he wouldn't dream of keeping them a secret, but he was _Kirby_. He was much too sweet and cheerful to be seen as a monster. Meta Knight on the other hand… He pushed the thought aside. He had more important things to do than worry about the townsfolk.

Kabu was a strange and mysterious being. A stone totem, easily the size of a three-story building, with a face that somewhat resembled a human with empty holes where the eyes should be. To the unaware, He was nothing more than that. To the Cappies, He was a prophet, and that was indeed true. But, to a Star Warrior…He was a refuge, a place to rest and recover, a safe haven for sacred objects, Kirby's Warp Star being the perfect example. There was a reason there were Kabus scattered throughout the universe.

Upon reaching his destination, Meta Knight leaped down from the treetops, wrapped his cape around himself, and carefully approached the great totem. Kabu spoke, His large stone mouth bobbing up and down as though on a spring, his deep voice reverberating throughout the ruins. "META KNIGHT. I HAVE BEEN EXPECTING YOU."

Meta Knight nodded. "Yes. Galaxia told me as much."

"THE LEGENDARY GALAXIA IS WISE. I HAVE AN URGENT MESSAGE FOR YOU."

Meta Knight stepped forward, hanging on to every word. "What is it, Kabu?"

"NIGHTMARE IS GONE, BUT PEACE IS NOT YET RESTORED. ONE OF NIGHTMARE'S CREATIONS SURVIVES."

Meta Knight clenched his cape tighter.

"THIS MONSTER IS A BEING WHOSE POWER SURPASSES THAT OF EVEN NIGHTMARE HIMSELF. HIS POWER HAS BEEN DORMANT FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, BUT HE IS SLOWLY REGAINING POWER AND WILL, ONE DAY SOON, REAWAKEN AND WREAK HAVOC ON DREAMLAND."

A monster more powerful than _Nightmare_? Meta Knight suppressed a shiver. Memories of the War of Darkness gripped him. Star Warriors and bystanders getting slaughtered, eaten, possessed. Blood, teeth, claws, fire, his Halberd crew getting scattered at best, Garlude, Jecra… If Nightmare could cause so much pain and suffering, what could something more powerful than him do?

Kabu continued, as though oblivious of the knight's dark thoughts. His next words made Meta Knight snap to attention. "IT IS YOUR DESTINY, META KNIGHT, TO SEEK OUT THIS EVIL AND DESTROY IT. THIS IS WHY GALAXIA CHOSE YOU."

The sword felt warmer at his side, heat pulsing even through the scabbard it was sheathed in, as though confirming Kabu's words. The legendary Galaxia could only be wielded by those it deemed worthy. All others would be killed simply by holding it for too long. Meta Knight nodded to himself. Fighting Nightmare had proved to be nearly impossible. That said, if his destiny was to destroy something stronger than Nightmare, then so be it. "What is this monster, Kabu?"

"THE BEING IS KNOWN AS GALACTA KNIGHT. I CAN TELL YOU NO MORE."

"I see. Thank you, Kabu. I shall fulfill this destiny without fail."

When it became apparent that Kabu had finished speaking, Meta Knight walked back to the castle, more vigilant than ever. Galacta Knight… He had never heard of this monster. But, Kabu's predictions were never wrong. If Meta Knight was destined to defeat this Galacta Knight, then he would do so.

After all, this was why Galaxia chose him.

* * *

 **So, this is fun. Galacta Knight is coming. He won't appear for a little while yet, but he's coming. In the meantime, review!**


	5. Spring Breeze

**A short little snippet of the past. It's a pretty cheerful chapter that can probably be considered a filler. Still, it offers a deeper look into Kirby and Meta Knight's relationship, so I think you'll enjoy it nonetheless.**

* * *

 **Chapter Four: Spring Breeze**

 _Five Years Earlier_

"You ever run, Meta Knight? Like, just to run?"

Meta Knight blinked at the sudden question. They were in the canyon, stretching before they sparred. Kirby's question came up just as they were about to draw their swords. "I beg your pardon."

Kirby shrugged. "You ever run?" he repeated. "I like to run. I like the adrenaline and the wind in my face and stuff. It's a good workout. Usually, I don't even know where I'm running to. I just go wherever my feet take me. You ever do that? Just run for the sake of running?"

Meta Knight stopped himself from asking what any of that had to do with their training. He learned a long time ago not to question Kirby's train of thought, regardless of how random it often seemed. "I do not."

"You don't run."

The look on the young Star Warrior's face was unreadable. Coming from such an open book, it was a little unnerving. "No."

Kirby was silent for a moment. Meta Knight was about to draw Galaxia when Kirby said, "Come with me," and took off.

Meta Knight just stared after him. Kirby stopped, turned around, motioned for him to follow, and ran off again. Meta Knight sighed and rolled his eyes then followed. Where they were going, he had no idea, and if it were with anyone less trustworthy, Meta Knight wouldn't do something so reckless as to follow.

When Meta Knight caught up, Kirby just laughed and ran faster. "Ya feeling the adrenaline yet?"

Actually, he was. He hated to admit it, but he could see why Kirby liked to run. The rush of the wind, the increased heart rate, it was...nice, relaxing in a way. Briefly forgetting that he was supposed to be following, he ran ahead, feeling his cape flying behind him, somehow stagnant compared to the rest of his body.

"WHOA!" Kirby screamed behind him.

Meta Knight smirked under his mask. _Can't keep up, huh?_

Then, Kirby asked in an awestruck excitement, "Can you fly?"

Could he...what?

"You said I'd be getting wings, but you never said _you_ had them."

Wings? Oh no. Meta Knight stopped running, and Kirby almost smacked into him from behind. His cape wasn't a cape anymore. It was his wings. How could he have gotten so careless? "I-I-"

Kirby was grinning wide as he bolted in front of him, admiring Meta Knight's dark, bat-like wings from the front. "They're so cool!" He tried to touch them, but Meta Knight shrank back. Kirby's smiled faded. "What's wrong? Don't you like them?"

He wasn't afraid of him. Then again, Kirby wouldn't be. "Well…" Meta Knight forced his wings to return to cape-form, his eyes a dark gray that wasn't lost on his comrade. "It is...just…" How would he explain this without sounding weak? Kirby looked up to him. He didn't want that to change. Kirby simply stood there patiently, a concerned frown where his carefree smile had once been, his hands folded in front of him. "Kirby, some people…"

"Did someone make fun of you?" Kirby guessed.

 _Not exactly._ Meta Knight instinctively wrapped his cape around himself. "You see, Kirby, after the War of Darkness, many people saw wings like mine and...thought of monsters. I simply do not wish to needlessly frighten anyone."

Kirby nodded sadly. "People thought you were monster." Meta Knight didn't answer because it wasn't a question. Kirby smiled slightly. "You know, I hope my wings look exactly like yours. Then, I can prove that monsters don't have wings that cool, and you won't have to hide yours."

Meta Knight smiled. Oh, Kirby. Innocent and wise simultaneously. An odd combination, but it suited him well.

"Come on," Kirby said, running off again. "We're almost there."

Meta Knight shook his head good-naturedly and followed. They ran out of the canyon, through a grassy field. By the time they reached their destination, the beach just outside of town, night had fallen and they were both exhausted and breathing heavy.

"Nice work out," Kirby gasped before sitting down on the cool sand.

Meta Knight sat down beside him. "So, what did you want to show me?"

To his surprise, Kirby simply laughed and laid down, staring at the stars. "Nothing. I just wanted you to run. I didn't even know where we'd end up. Or, how long we'd be running."

Typical Kirby. "I suppose that will have to be the extent of our training today. We will make up for this nonsense by training twice as hard next week."

"Don't pretend you didn't love it."

"I suppose it was rather enjoyable."

Kirby sat up. "I don't think I said this before, but I won't tell anyone about your wings if you don't want me to."

"I appreciate that. I will hold you to that promise."

"Hold me as long as you want, Meta Knight. ...You know what I mean."

Meta Knight nodded. "Yes, I know." He looked at Kirby, who was smiling that goofy smile of his. Kirby, who had grown so much, who was so gentle and accepting of everyone, despite all that he'd seen and done. Who made his old mentor so very proud… The boy- Er, the young man had earned this.

Meta Knight reached behind his head and unclasped his mask. He sat it on the sand beside him and smiled at Kirby, who would actually be able to see it this time.

Kirby blinked several times, his mouth wide open in shock. "Wait. Is that what you look like without your mask?" Meta Knight nodded. Kirby grinned. "Dude, you're basically a blue me. It's kinda awesome!" Meta rolled his eyes and lightly smacked the back of Kirby's pink head. "Well, you _are_. And, it _is_ awesome. Oh, but I won't say anything. Don't worry."

"Thank you."

"You know, you look more like a blueberry than I thought you would. I might have to start calling you that."

Meta Knight frowned at him. "I'd rather you didn't."

"Too late. That's your new nickname."

* * *

 **Meta Knight brought that nickname on to himself. He really did. Review!**


	6. Star Allies

**Since _Star Allies_ just came out, I thought that would be a good title for this chapter, keeping with my theme of "use Kirby-related chapters every chance I get." If you played that game all the way through (I don't have a Nintendo Switch, so I'm reduced to watching playthroughs on YouTube), you may recognize a little something...**

 **Also, Meta Knight is absolutely precious when he is embarrassed. Just saying.**

* * *

 **Chapter Five: Star Allies**

The Halberd airship was large enough that it was easy to get lost in. Fortunately, it was Meta Knight's ship, so he, along with Sword and Blade, knew every square inch of its layout, including every single object kept in the storage room in the back of the ship. He opened the sliding room to said room and stepped inside. There wasn't much at the moment, seeing as they had no reason to travel. But, in the corner of the room was a large box wrapped in shiny white paper, and that was what Meta Knight was after.

"But, I thought you said the sword wasn't ready yet," Sword called as his leader picked up the box.

"Yeah," Blade agreed, "why give him one if the other's not ready?"

"It is ready enough." Meta Knight handed the box to Sword. "I'll will retrieve the sword. You guys take this and meet me in my room."

His knaves glanced at each other, but Meta Knight didn't stick around to hear them argue. He had warned them of Kabu's message. They should have understood his reasoning on the matter. It was his own destiny, yes, but his knaves needed to be prepared to defend themselves and others. He would have to inform Kirby as well, but for now, Meta Knight just needed to get the sword he'd been working on in the basement of the castle.

Which was currently more akin to a lance with sharp edges, and normally he wouldn't even consider letting unfinished work get sent out, but these were desperate times.

* * *

Kirby had a much larger house now than was when he was an infant. He and most of the town - Meta Knight, Sword, and Blade included - had pitched in to build him a new home once it became apparent that the little puffling wasn't quite as little as he'd once been. Kirby had _claimed_ that his smaller home was fine, but it was obvious that he was feeling rather cramped in there. A good indicator of this was the fact that even after Tokkori, who had constantly slept in the small dome-shaped cottage, passed away of natural causes, Kirby continued sleeping in the tree nearby. Grateful for everyone's help in building him a bigger house, Kirby offered to cook dinner for them. Of course, the new cottage was still only big enough to house one or two people, so Kirby hosted a barbecue outside instead.

It had been a nice little get-together, until Dedede, who had no help in building whatsoever, once again thought that everyone was plotting a revolution. Since Nightmare Enterprises was long gone and he couldn't order a monster, the king had sent out his Waddle Dee guards, and he had even attacked Kirby with his signature mallet (which was nothing new but was done with more vigor than usual). At least the new cottage had made it out unscathed. Kirby still had the old one, but he mostly used it for storage. Sometimes as a kind of "guest room" if he had friends over.

Blade was holding his and Sword's box, and Meta Knight was holding his own rectangular box, so Sword knocked on Kirby's door. They heard him call out, "Be right there," and waited.

"You sure this is necessary, Meta Knight?" Sword asked.

"Yeah, who knows when this Galacta Knight will show up," Blade commented. "Could be years."

Meta Knight scowled under his mask. "It could also be a few hours. You are right about one thing; there is no way to know. But, we still should be prepared."

The door opened, and Kirby smiled at them from the doorway. "Well, this is a fun surprise. What are you guys doing here?"

Blade proudly raised his box above his head and announced, "Happy belated birthday!" before stumbling and barely stopping himself from falling over. "Man, this is heavy," he mumbled.

Unphased by his brother's antics, Sword said, "We finally got your presents done, Kirby."

Kirby's eyes lit up. "Really? You guys."

Meta Knight and Blade sat their gifts on the grass in front of Kirby. Blade bounced on his feet like a child. "Open mine and Sword's first!"

Kirby shrugged playfully. "Can't say no to that kind of enthusiasm." Kirby untied the dark pink ribbon on the knaves' box and ripped apart the wrapping paper. He pulled the lid off and gasped at what was inside. He dug around inside, gawking at the contents.

Meta Knight smiled. He knew what was in there. "A Star Warrior must have the proper protection. The Copy Ability is not a substitute for armor."

"We hope you like it, Kirby," Sword said. "Blade and I worked hard on it."

"Lucky for us," Blade added, "you're about the same size as Meta Knight."

Kirby looked from one dwarf to the other then bit his lip. "Okay, I know Meta Knight hates hugs, but I forget if you guys do."

Sword hesitantly held up his hands in a "no thank you" fashion, but Blade spread his arms out wide. "I don't hate hugs."

Kirby wrapped his arms tightly around him, and while they embraced, Kirby assured Sword, "Just so you don't feel left out, Sword, know that I'm hugging you mentally."

"Uh, good to know," Sword said.

"Oh, Meta Knight." Kirby released Blade and turned to his fellow puffling. "I can't leave you out of this."

Meta Knight took a step back and held his cape tighter around himself. "No hugs, Kirby."

"I know _that_ ," Kirby said, rolling his eyes. "I meant your present."

Given their current situation, Meta Knight had foregone wrapping wrapping paper, but Kirby didn't seem to mind. He removed the lid stared in shock at the...embarrassingly unfinished sword. If one could call it a sword. Meta Knight inwardly cringed at its hot pink lance-like structure. The color suited Kirby well enough, but weapon itself… Now that he was really looking at it...

"Uh, forgive me," Meta Knight stammered. "I was in a bit of a hurry, a-and it isn't completely finished yet. I-I can gladly take it back and-"

Kirby held up a silencing hand. "Don't finish it." He gingerly picked it up and examined it. "I like it. It's like a sword and a lance combined. It's like the spork of weaponry!"

...Meta Knight decided to take that as a compliment. "I'm glad to hear that, Kirby. I think." Suddenly, Kirby put the sword back in the box and threw his arms around Meta Knight, who stiffened at the contact.

Kirby chuckled in embarrassment and pulled back. "Sorry." He put the lids back on the boxes and asked, "Hey, are you guys hungry? You want me to make you lunch? Let me make you lunch. I gonna make you lunch. Come inside."

"Kirby," Meta Knight said, "that is not necessary."

Kirby picked up the box with the sword in it. Though the sword wasn't heavy, Kirby struggled slightly, even seemed to be in pain. No wonder. His wings would be coming in any time now. He was probably hurting more than he let on. Hopefully, they wouldn't have sharp claws like Meta Knight's. _Those_ had been hell to squeeze out. "You guys worked hard on this stuff. The least I can do is cook for you. Now, come inside. Hey, can someone get the door? My hands are kinda full."

Sword and Blade looked to Meta Knight, who nodded. Kirby was the type who wouldn't take no for an answer when he wanted something badly enough. Besides, the knaves would likely object to Meta Knight making lunch. ( _He_ didn't think he was that bad a cook.)

Meta Knight gathered up the paper and ribbon on the ground, walked over and held door for all of them. Kirby waddled into his house, Blade right behind, and Sword struggled with the larger box, claiming that, "Man, this _is_ heavy."

Kirby's living room wasn't as messy as Meta Knight had expected, though there were some charcoal pencils scattered on the coffee table and one laying on the floor, an open sketchpad sitting on the light teal-colored loveseat, and the whole room smelled oddly of grass clippings and burnt toast. Which made sense, considering A) how much time Kirby spent outdoors and B) how often he burnt toast and ate it anyway.

"Just stick my new stuff anywhere," Kirby instructed, setting his sword box on the floor at the edge of the room. "I'll find somewhere to put it later."

"You're not gonna try it on?" Sword asked as he sat his package down by the other one, sounding almost as disappointed as Meta Knight felt.

Kirby organized his pencils and grabbed his sketchpad, placing them both in a box underneath the coffee table. "I think I'm gonna wait 'til my cape-wings grow in. I wanna eat the whole pizza, not just a slice."

Meta Knight nodded in understanding, tossing the papers into a wastebasket by the loveseat, but his knaves just looked at each other. Blade shrugged. "I don't get it."

"Your stomachs are not as big as ours," Meta Knight reminded. "He simply means that he wants to see...the final product, so to speak." He cleared his throat. "Now, Kirby, while I'm here, there is an important matter we must discuss."

Kirby stretched out his back and flinched, blinking several times. His wings were _very_ close to appearing if merely arching his back made him dizzy. When he recovered, he said, "Y-Yeah, sure. Sword, Blade, you guys get comfy. Meta Knight, come with me. We'll talk while I'm cooking."

When he'd left the room, Sword asked, "Is he alright, sir?"

"In his current state, this is to be expected," Meta Knight said simply before wrapping his cape around himself and following Kirby.

He found Kirby with his face in the refrigerator, asking "Hey, do you guys like mac 'n' cheese? I got some homemade pasta I made yesterday, and I think you guys would like it."

Meta Knight was about to answer, but he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. A butterfly was sitting on the counter, lazily flapping its wings, which had a deep orange on the edges and white closest to its small body, the colors blended together in an ombre effect. But, what really caught Meta Knight's attention was that it seemed to emit a dull glow. What an odd creature.

"Oh, I see you've met my new friend." Kirby's voice jerked him out of his musings. Kirby was balancing a bag of uncooked pasta and three types of cheese in his hands as he spoke. He waddled over to the counter and sat them next to the strange butterfly, who was seemingly unfazed. He placed his hand close to the butterfly and let it crawl on. He raised his hand, giving Meta Knight a better look. "This little guy's been following me around lately. I named him Tangie, cause he's the same color as tangerines. Say 'hi,' Tangie." The butterfly flapped once.

Meta Knight just looked at Kirby, who had always had a fixation with butterflies, in amusement before deciding to play along. "Um, hello, Tangie." The butterfly took off, flying back toward the living room, a trail of golden sparkles following it. Meta Knight heard Sword and Blade's fascinated exclamations. "Now, Kirby," he said, getting back to business, "I have something to share with you."

He told Kirby about Kabu's message, about Galacta Knight and how, though Meta Knight was the one destined to defeat him, he wanted Kirby to be prepared as well, which was why they brought the armor and sword when they did. Kirby's expression was completely blank the entire time. For anyone else, that would imply that they weren't listening, but on Kirby, that look meant that he was hanging on to every word and thinking very hard about those words. Good.

Kirby was silent for a moment, absent-mindedly folding his hands in front of him. "So, we don't know anything about this guy."

Meta Knight shook his head. "Other than his existence, no."

More silence, then Kirby nodded. "Thanks for the heads-up. I'll keep my eyes peeled and let you know if I see anything suspicious."

"Thank you. But, let's not spread this around just yet. For all we know, Galacta Knight could arrive many years from now. The last thing we need is to have the townsfolk in a panic."

Kirby nodded again. "Yeah. Good call." He opened a cabinet, pulled out a large bowl, and sat it on the counter. He closed the cabinet and said, "It's too bad we don't know anything else. Would be nice if we at least had an idea of what he looked like or when he was coming or-o-or…"

Kirby suddenly doubled over, gripping the counter top with shaking arms in attempt to stay upright. His teeth were clenched and his face was pinched in agony. The bulges on his back were dark purple and much larger than before.

His wings.

* * *

 **So, I think you know what's gonna happen next time, so I'm not gonna clue you in. Review!**


	7. Fight or Flight

**Who wants to see a happy chapter full of love and humor? Well, too bad, 'cause your getting something completely different. Kirby grows his wings, and...stuff happens. You didn't think that process would be easy, did you?**

 **Trigger Warning: panic attacks and maybe PTSD**

* * *

 **Chapter Six: Fight or Flight**

"Sword! Blade! In here!" Meta Knight called. He put his hand over Kirby's and said gently, "Kirby, your wings are coming. I am going to guide you through this, okay?"

Still clutching the kitchen counter, Kirby looked at him in pain and terror and nodded.

Meta Knight's heart clenched at the sight of so much agony in such a spirited man's eyes. He moved behind Kirby and observed the dark purple lumps on his shoulder blades. The lumps were quite large and even moving slightly. Kirby let out a pained sob.

Footsteps were heard from the kitchen doorway. "What's going on?" Sword asked.

"What's wrong with Kirby?" Blade added.

"His wings are coming," Meta Knight replied, not looking back at them. "Blade, find Tiff or Yabui. Kirby will need medical attention when this is all over." He felt Kirby tense up at his words, so he clarified, "All goes well, it should only result in minor bleeding, but better safe than sorry."

"Right!" One set of footsteps retreated.

Meta Knight lightly massaged around the bulges as Sword asked, "What about me? What can I do?"

"Find a cloth and soak it in warm water. Kirby, do you have any peroxide?"

Kirby nodded. "B-Bathroom," he choked out with a gasp. "U-Under the sink."

Meta Knight glanced at his remaining knave, whose helmet was absent. Well, Kirby had told them to get comfortable. "Go, then."

"On it!" Sword ran off.

Kirby wailed, and Meta Knight gently shushed him and continued massaging his back. "You are doing well, Kirby. Just keep breathing."

Meta Knight suddenly recalled a similar situation from- Had it really been so long ago?

* * *

 _A dark red puffling was crouched on all fours on the hard floor of the airship, breathing so hard, he looked like he may vomit. Meta Knight stood behind him, glad that his mask hid the panic on his face._

" _What's wrong with Trident?" asked a Waddle Dee in a sailor hat._

" _He'll be fine, Sailor," the sole female of the group assured. She whispered to their leader, "He'll be fine, right?"_

 _Meta Knight swallowed hard. "Yes, Mace." He hesitantly placed his hands on Trident's back and massaged lightly. "Your wings are coming, Trident. I am going to guide you through this."_

* * *

"Here."

Meta Knight was yanked out of his memories by Sword handing him a wet washcloth and a small bottle of peroxide. "Thank you." Meta Knight took the cloth and rubbed the bulges with it.

Kirby released a shaky sigh. "That feels nice." Then, his whole body spasmed, and he seemed to cling to the counter through willpower alone.

Blood trickled out of the bulges, wet, feathery dots poked out of them, and Meta Knight instructed Sword to stand back. After his knave was a good five feet away, Meta Knight returned his undivided attention to Kirby, deciding to ignore 'Tangie,' who had picked that moment to land on Kirby's head. "Kirby, listen carefully. Your wings will appear any moment now. The pain will be unlike anything you have ever experienced, but it will not last long. Brace yourself."

As the feathery wings started working their way through, and the butterfly fluttered off to who-cares-where, Kirby screamed a guttural, animalistic scream. Meta Knight knew the feeling and was glad that his comrade didn't have to suffer through pushing out _claws_ like he did all those years ago.

Blood welled out of the tears in his skin. His wings tore through, causing the stomach-churning sound of flesh ripping. "Almost there," Meta Knight said. "Shouldn't be long, now."

Kirby's quick, heavy breaths and occasional grunt or shriek were the only sounds for a long time. Too long of a time. His wings were trying to wiggle out, but no progress was being made. Blood gushed out faster now. A faint odor permeated the air.

Meta Knight froze, barely managing to keep his composure. Something was wrong. Were his wings _stuck_ somehow? He tried massaging the skin harder, trying to open the path a bit more, even tried to gently tug on the parts of the wings that were exposed. Nothing. Actually, tugging on the wings only seemed to cause more pain for Kirby, whose light pink skin suddenly looked much darker than usual. His thoughts were in a frenzy. What could he do? There had to be a way to open a passageway for the wings, but how? He would have to…

No. No way. He wasn't a doctor.

But… Kirby…

Forcing himself to stop shaking, Meta Knight said in a voice that sounded more confident than he felt, "Kirby, do you trust me?"

"Y-Yes," was the strained, quiet reply.

"I don't want to do this, but I see no other option. Sword."

Sword rushed to his side. "Sir?"

"Get me a knife."

" _What_?" Sword and Kirby gasped.

Meta Knight, eyes flashing a dark green, finally looked his knave in the eye. "His wings are not coming out on their own. And, our swords are far too large for the precision this will require." He pointed to the other end of the kitchen. "There is a knife rack over there. Bring me a knife, Sword. A small one. I will not ask again."

Briefly running a hand through his short brown hair and frowning deeply with worry, Sword nodded and raced to the other side of the kitchen.

"Kirby," Meta Knight began as Sword returned and handed him a knife, "when was the last time you washed these?"

Kirby was silent for so long that Meta Knight thought he might have passed out. Then, "Y-You're supposed to wash them?"

"Dammit, Kirby!"

Sword unscrewed the lid of the peroxide. Meta Knight grabbed the bottle and dumped its contents on to the knife. Spots were decorating the edges of his vision now. His heart was pounding at an unhealthy rate. His breathing was too quick, too shallow. Meta Knight recognized the signs, but he couldn't stop. Kirby needed him. He forced his hands to stop shaking. They didn't stop completely, but it would have to do.

 _Focus. Focus. Focus!_

He tossed the now-empty bottle aside. "Kirby." His voice wavered. He couldn't seem to stop that one. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to cut an opening."

Another sob, then a thick, "Do it."

Before he could begin, Sword grabbed his arm and asked quietly enough that Kirby hopefully wouldn't hear, "Meta Knight, are you having a panic attack?" Suddenly, Meta Knight's mouth felt too numb to respond, so he just nodded. Sword tensed up beside him. "Do you want me to take over?"

Meta Knight shook his head. It was a kind offer, but Sword wouldn't know what he was doing. Hell, Meta Knight _barely_ knew what he was doing, and he was Kirby's species!

He felt Sword release his arm then lift his mask off, and Meta Knight blinked gratefully at him, just now realizing how hot his episode was making him.

Trying to steady his breathing (only partly successful), Meta Knight carefully brought the knife down to Kirby's skin. He slowly cut as close to the wings as possible. Kirby screamed, his body spasming again, before falling limp and silent on the floor. Meta Knight's head swam.

Sword knelt down beside Kirby and checked his pulse. "He's alive. He just fainted."

"H-Hold him still," Meta Knight could hardly hear his own voice, but Sword did as he was told.

Meta Knight dragged the knife along Kirby's back until-

 _Rrrrrrrpppppppp_!

A feathery, blood-soaked wing ripped through the man-made opening, splattering Sword and Meta Knight with Kirby's blood. Pushing through his dizziness, Meta Knight sliced through the other side until that wing shot out. Finally, Meta Knight couldn't bring himself to stay upright and collapsed on to his bum, as everything around him rocked back and forth and his ears rang.

No, wait. That was a siren.

He heard a door slam open. "I brought Tiff! And, Dr. Yabui's waiting in the ambulance!" Blade called.

"In here!" Sword responded.

Meta Knight tried to force his breathing to slow, but Kirby was still bleeding so much _right in front of him_ …

"Kirby!" Tiff rushed to Kirby's side, a bit awkwardly due to her swollen belly, and checked his pulse, briefly gawked at his gory wings, then noticed the state the room was in. But, she didn't ask questions. She just picked up Kirby and held him as though he were an infant again. "I'll do everything I can." As she was about to leave, she noticed the state Meta Knight was in. It took her a moment to recognize him without his mask. "Meta Knight?" Her green eyes had darkened with worry, and Meta Knight silently cursed himself for not being stronger.

Sword was at his side in an instant. "We'll handle Meta Knight. Just help Kirby."

Tiff hesitated but nodded and bolted back to the ambulance outside.

When she was gone, Blade took in the mess everywhere and the current state of his leader. "Alright, someone fill me in. Wait, Meta Knight? Are you having a panic attack?"

Praying that he would stop shaking like a frightened child soon, Meta Knight nodded. How, he _hated_ looking weak! Especially in front of his knaves, who saw him as a guide and a role model. But, he couldn't seem to calm himself. It had been ages since his last episode. Why now? Why did it have to happen when Kirby needed him most? Now, Kirby was unconscious and being rushed to the hospital. What if he didn't make it out? What if he'd lost too much blood? Meta Knight never should have tried to play doctor. If Kirby died because of him...

Meta Knight barely registered the tears running down his face, but he did notice the glass being held to his lips. "Here, Meta Knight," Blade said softly. "Drink some water."

As he felt Sword gently rubbing his back under his cape, Meta Knight drank. His mouth was so dry that he wanted to gulp down the cool liquid, but he forced himself to sip slowly. Nova, he couldn't believe how pathetic he was! He was at least a thousand years old. Yet, here he was, being coddled like a helpless puppy! Still...he was starting to calm down now.

After a while, his breathing and heart rate slowed, and everything stopped spinning. He furiously wiped at his wet cheeks as Sword asked, "You alright now, sir?"

"Yes." Meta Knight's voice was a bit gravely, so he cleared his throat. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you. Both of you."

Blade patted his shoulder. "Don't thank us, Meta Knight. You help us all the time. We're just glad to help you for once."

 _Nova, bless these two._ How he was lucky enough to wind up with them as knaves, he would never know. Come to think of it… Maybe it was time they stopped being merely knaves. Perhaps he would knight them soon.

They helped him to his feet, and he walked over to where his mask was laying on the ground. "We had better go see how Kirby is doing."

Meta Knight picked up his filthy mask, but before he could put it back on, Sword looked around and said, "Uh, maybe we should clean up first."

Oh. Right. The kitchen was still covered in blood and gore.

"And, while we're doing that," Blade added, "maybe you guys can fill me in on what in Nova's name happened while I was gone."

* * *

 **So, this chapter was supposed to include Kirby's first time flying, but then I started writing it. Clearly, it took a much darker turn than I'd originally planned. Oh, well! Review!**


	8. Can't Keep a Good Puff Down

**Today on "Meta Knight is a Good Non-Biological Dad..."**

* * *

 **Chapter Seven: Can't Keep a Good Puff Down**

The only sounds in the waiting room were the clicking of Meta Knight's armored shoes as he paced, his cape wrapped tightly around him, and Escargoon advertising the king's new cologne on the TV. (" _Dedede Cologne! It smells better than it sounds!"_ Doubtful.)

"Meta Knight, try to relax," Sword soothed.

He and his brother sat in the chairs perched against the wall as the three of them waited to hear the results of whatever Tiff and Yabui were doing. But, Meta Knight was too wound up to sit still. The image of Kirby's limp and blood-soaked body was too alarmingly fresh in his mind to even attempt to relax. He would never admit it, but the entire time that they'd cleaned Kirby's kitchen - and, of course, themselves, since none of them felt like putting up with the Cappies asking why Sword and Meta Knight had been covered in blood - Meta Knight had struggled to hold himself together. Even now, images of Garlude, Jecra, his old crew, and many others filled his mind. So many losses. Garlude and Jecra were his best friends, his crew were the only real family he'd known (at that point in time, at least). And, Kirby… He couldn't lose Kirby. Not like this.

"Yeah," Blade added, seemingly oblivious of his leader's inner turmoil. (The twins were actually fully aware of how affected Meta Knight was, seeing as his eyes had been a dull gray color since Tiff left with Kirby, but they silently agreed not to bring it up.) "Kirby's tough. And, Tiff and Dr. Yabui know what they're doing."

Meta Knight ignored both of them, his mind racing as quickly as his heart. Just when he thought he might wear a dent in the floor, Tiff and Yabui stepped into the waiting room. The relieved smiles on their faces helped put Meta Knight's mind at ease.

"How is he doing?" he asked.

Yabui adjusted his soda bottle glasses. "Well, he had us worried for a while, but we hooked him up to an IV, and he seems to be doing alright now." He turned to Tiff. "You sure you can handle things from here?"

Tiff put her hands on her hips and smirked playfully. "Dr. Yabui, I'm pregnant, not incompetent."

Yabui chuckled. "Well, you just never know with pregnant women. One minute, you're fine. The next, your hormones are driving everybody up a wall."

Tiff rolled her eyes. "I promise I'll call you if I need help." After bidding farewells and thank-yous and Yabui was out the door, Tiff turned to the soldiers in the room. "Okay, I knew growing wings was supposed to be painful, but I don't remember reading anything about _this_. What happened?"

Meta Knight hesitated but told her about Kirby's wings not coming out, how he foolishly cut them out himself. But, he left out the part about his anxiety attack. She might have guessed, considering the state she'd found him in, but just in case.

Tiff was surprisingly calm throughout his confession. She put a hand to her chin in thought, and smiled after a moment. "Meta Knight, I'm not an expert when it comes to pufflings, but I think you might have saved Kirby's life." Meta Knight's eyes flickered orange with surprise. "If Kirby was in the state you described when his wings were stuck, imagine how much worse he would have been if you _hadn't_ cut them free."

"She's right, sir," Sword agreed.

"Yeah," Blade added. "You're a hero!"

Hero, huh? Meta Knight didn't know if he'd go that far, but he was relieved to know that he hadn't caused any serious damage. (His knaves were just relieved that his eyes had returned to their usual amber.) "May...I see him?" he asked almost shyly.

Tiff's smile softened. "Of course. He's sleeping right now, but go ahead. Room three. Oh, and I won't tell anyone what you look like if you don't want me to."

Meta Knight nodded gratefully. "I appreciate that."

Sword and Blade got up to follow him, but Meta Knight stopped them with a look. It wasn't that he didn't want them to see Kirby. He just...needed a minute. They nodded in understanding and held back.

Tiff stopped him as he tried to walk past. She knelt down to eye-level and lowered her voice, a concerned look on her face. "Meta Knight, correct me if I'm wrong, but was that an anxiety attack I saw?"

Ah, so she had noticed. She always had been rather observant. "They are an uncommon occurrence."

Meta Knight shook her off, quite certain that this wouldn't be the end of that conversation, and walked solemnly down the hall to the door with the "03" on it. He raised his hand to knock then remembered that Kirby was likely asleep. He lowered his hand and opened the door as quietly as he could and peeked into the room.

Kirby was sleeping peacefully on the bed, as if he hadn't gone through hell mere hours ago. Meta Knight cautiously stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. He approached his comrade, hyper-aware of the clicking of his shoes against the floor. An oxygen mask had been placed over Kirby's mouth, and an IV needle was sticking out of his arm. His skin was still dark in color, more of a hot pink now than he once was. (Perhaps that would be permanent. It was a rare occurence, and the knight himself had never undergone such a change, but it wasn't unheard of for their kind's coloring to become lighter or darker after growing wings, and he had told Kirby as much.) His wings had been cleaned and laid out behind him, the ends hanging over the bed. Meta Knight noticed the pillow Kirby was sleeping on top of. Perhaps that was the reason he was able to sleep on his back so well. Then again, you could put Kirby on a bed of nails, and he'd sleep soundly.

Meta Knight finally let himself breathe. Kirby was going to be fine. Still, it was rather upsetting, seeing such a bright light dimmed by medical restraints of all things. It was actually a pretty scary thought, how one can be full of strength and happiness yet be brought down by something as random as injury or disease.

Something in the corner of his eye brought him out of his dark thoughts. A little white light outside the window. Hm… Meta Knight walked to the window. It was Kirby's butterfly. Its orange wings released tiny, glitter-like lights as it hovered. It almost seemed to be staring at him.

"What...are you?" Meta Knight wondered aloud, simultaneously relieved and oddly disappointed when the butterfly didn't answer.

"C-Could you let Tangie in?" asked a groggy voice, so quiet that it was difficult to hear. "I think he wants in."

Meta Knight looked over at the bed in a delighted surprise. Kirby was awake and staring at him expectantly. Rather than rush over and hold him like he wanted to, Meta Knight opened the window, letting the strange creature into the room. It flew to Kirby, who raised a shaky hand and let it land on him. He looked at it like it was the most precious thing in the world, and Meta Knight's heart melted on the spot.

Ignoring his paternal instincts, he walked calmly to Kirby's bedside. "How are you feeling, my friend?"

Kirby smiled weakly. "One word: _bluuaaaggh_."

Meta Knight chuckled lightly. "I suppose that is to be expected."

Kirby cleared his throat and looked thoughtfully at the butterfly sitting on his hand. "So, I guess I'm one of the color-changing puffs you mentioned."

Meta Knight nodded. "It appears so."

"What do my wings look like?"

"They are feathery like a bird's. Lavender in color. They suit you rather well, I think."

"Purple bird wings, huh? I was kinda hoping for bat wings. Or, maybe butterfly wings. But, if I'm honest, I think I'm just happy to have any kind of wings, after all that."

Meta Knight swallowed thickly. "I...apologize for my rash decision, Kirby."

Kirby blinked. "What? You mean cutting me up like a sausage?"

"Um, that is not how I would phrase it, but yes."

Kirby laughed breathily and shook his head as though he was speaking to a small child. "Dude, what else were you suppose to do? I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure nothing else was working. It hurt like hot sauce, but it worked, didn't it?" Kirby's eyelids fluttered. "I-I'm alive."

Meta Knight smiled softly under his mask and placed his hand over Kirby's free one. "Go to sleep, my friend. You deserve a rest." But, Kirby had already fallen asleep in the middle of that last sentence.

* * *

 **This has been "Meta Knight is a Good Non-Biological Dad."**

 **I know it's obvious. You know it's obvious. What's not obvious is when the characters will figure it out. What am I talking about? I know what I'm talking about. You know what I'm talking about. Should you review? I think you should review. You think you should review. Okay, I'm gonna stop now.**


	9. Social Butterfly

**This update is an update of faith, trust, and butterfly glitter. Also, there's an _Alice in Wonderland_ reference.**

* * *

 **Chapter Eight: Social Butterfly**

It had been two months since Kirby's wings grew in. The recovery process had taken some time, but Kirby found that Meta Knight was right; flying did come rather naturally to their kind. Or, at least to him. Sure, there had been a few slip-ups, and he had come close to plummeting face-first into the cold, unforgiving landscape at one point, but he was figuring things out pretty quickly. Although, he still did have the occasional mishap where trying to switch between wings and a cape resulted in some weird combination of the two. Still, Meta Knight had been remarkably patient as always and continued to give him advice and encouragement.

Kirby had also enjoyed modeling his cool new armor. There was the white mask with kind of a plus-shaped opening and yellow horn-like things on top (couldn't really inhale anything while wearing it, but it was still pretty cool-looking) white armored shoes and white gauntlets and white shoulder-pad-armor-things. There was a lot of white stuff. Oh, and there was a round shield. It was white too, but it had a dark pink ring-design on it and a yellow four-pointed star. Combined with his new sor-lance- Uh, slance? Lorance? Combined with that sword-lance-thing that he had yet to come up with a decent name for, the whole ensemble looked pretty sweet.

Speaking of the weapon-to-be-named-later, aerial combat training was _amazing_! Sword fighting was epic on ground-level, but Kirby was almost certain he'd never fight on the ground again. The rush of the wind, the increased difficulty, the heightened risk. Kirby had never really considered himself an adrenaline junkie, but there was something about the possibility of knocking your opponent out of the air and sending them free-falling that was...satisfying.

Huh. Kirby found that his mind had a mind of its own. Meta Knight was always teasing him for his "inconsistent thought processes" (read: randomness), but that last thought seemed kind of morbid, mean even. Kirby decided not to worry about it. Just more randomness, he supposed.

Landing in Kabu Canyon flawlessly after another training session in the sky, Kirby lifted his mask and gazed at Meta Knight, waiting for either approval or constructive criticism. Meta Knight returned his wings to cape-form and studied Kirby for a long time, his eyes now a seafoam green. Kirby stopped himself from shuffling his feet, despite how uncomfortable his mentor's penetrating gaze was making him. Why wasn't he saying anything? Surely, Kirby hadn't done _that_ poorly, had he?

Meta Knight regarded him a bit longer then sheathed Galaxia and wrapped his cape around himself. "Kirby, would you mind doing me a favor?"

Kirby blinked. Whatever his mentor was going to say, he certainly hadn't expected that. "Oh, uh, yeah. Yeah, sure. What do you need?"

"I have been putting this off in favor of your recovery and training, but I have been meaning to...test Sword and Blade."

"Test?"

Meta Knight's eyes flashed white. "Yes. You have gotten quite good at flight and aerial combat," Kirby smiled at that, "so perhaps you could be of assistance…"

* * *

 _Darkness. Darkness everywhere. Not a speck of light or sign of someone or something nearby. Wherever he was, it was pitch black. Meta Knight could see himself but nothing else._

" _Hello?" he called. He didn't expect anyone to answer. He just needed to fill the silence._

 _Suddenly, there was a light. A pale orange light flitted up to him. It was Kirby's butterfly. Cautious but curious, Meta Knight lifted a hand up to it. It landed in his palm and calmly flapped its shimmery wings, seeming perfectly at ease, as though being the sole light source in a world of darkness was just another Tuesday. Then, it hopped off and flew away._

" _Where are you going?" Meta Knight asked. The butterfly paused mid-flight, even turned back around to face him. "You want me to follow?" he asked, chasing after it as it continued its flight._

 _But, where was it taking him? There was nothing but blackness for miles. Nonetheless, Meta Knight ran after it, his cape billowing out behind him. Despite the circumstances, he felt oddly calm, safe even, like this small, fragile creature could protect him from all dangers._

 _Eventually, he started to see something in the distance. A speck that got bigger as the butterfly drew him closer. Soon, the butterfly stopped and so did Meta Knight. Then, the butterfly flew in front of the shadowy, winged creature, invisible aside from the gentle white glow outlining it, who allowed it to roost on a long arm. Or, maybe it was some sort of weapon? It was too dark to really see._

" _Strange, isn't it?" the glowing shadow pondered aloud. The voice told him the creature was male. "The greatest power always seems to be found where you'd least expect."_

 _Meta Knight regarded him wearily. The voice was familiar yet unfamiliar. And, something in the tone made his skin crawl._

 _The creature continued his soliloquy. "But, then, you were one of Lord Nightmare's failed experiments, were you not?" It finally turned to face him. But, all Meta Knight could see were his eyes. Dark red, lacking all traces of humanity, instead filled the wickedness and bloodlust that could only be seen in the eyes of monsters. "No wonder you hide behind that mask of yours."_

Meta Knight shot up in bed, his skin moist with cold sweat. He was no stranger to nightmares, but for the past few months, his nightmares had been more frequent, each one featuring the same shadowy figure. Though, this was the first time the figure had spoken. Meta Knight hummed and fixed a thoughtful green gaze at nothing. What did those nightmares mean? Could that figure have been Galacta Knight? It wasn't the first time Meta Knight had pondered such a thing. Stranger still, Kirby's butterfly had been popping up in those dreams as well, each time emitting the same aura of purity and goodness. Were Galacta Knight and the butterfly connected somehow? If so, was Kirby in danger from being around the strange insect? What did it all really mean?

Startling Meta Knight from his thoughts, the butterfly suddenly appeared in front of him, once again the sole light in the darkness. How had it gotten in? Meta Knight was certain the window was closed. Perhaps it snuck in at some point during the day then? Had it been there all night? It circled Meta Knight for a moment before flying over to the window and hovering in front of it. Again, Meta Knight felt as though it was staring at him.

Thinking the creature simply wanted an exit, Meta Knight hopped out of bed, walked cautiously up to the window and opened it. The butterfly landed on his head briefly before fluttering just outside and hovering there, looking at him. Meta Knight cocked his head at it, finding the situation all too familiar. "You want me to follow?"

The butterfly flew in excited circles as Meta Knight grabbed his mask from where it had been perched against his nightstand and put it on. He opened the window more and climbed out of it. The butterfly flew a bit away and paused as though waiting for him.

 _I can't believe I'm doing this,_ Meta Knight thought as he brought out his wings and took off into the cool night air.

The butterfly lead him to the outskirts of Cappy Town, where it landed on the side of Kirby's cabin. Meta Knight landed next to the house and looked at the insect curiously. "You want to show me something out here?" The butterfly crawled along the log wall and came to rest on the window. Meta Knight looked inside but only found Kirby sleeping, his pale violet cape half-draped over him. "Something with Kirby?"

Meta Knight peered at Kirby's bedroom through the window, looked around outside, but there was nothing unusual to be found. "What are you trying to show me?" Meta Knight asked. The butterfly circled him a few times then took off. This time it didn't seem to want to be followed.

"Curiouser and curiouser," Meta Knight muttered as his eyes turned light green and he flew back to the castle, no closer to figuring out that butterfly than he was before. In fact, he felt even farther from understanding it than ever.

* * *

 **Next time, we'll be seeing that test Meta Knight was talking about. Will Sword and Blade pass? Review to find out!**


	10. Duel Role

**Remember that test that was mentioned in the previous chapter? Let's see how that goes...**

* * *

 **Chapter Nine: Duel Role**

It was a strange feeling, knowing how much they've grown, but not at all an unpleasant one. Even stranger was knowing that they'd started out as petty thieves, robbing travelers and looting bodies for survival. Now, Sworcio and Bladence were his most trusted comrades, his partners, his brothers. Meta Knight knew that the Galactic Nova Itself couldn't have given him better friends.

He had referred to them as knights in the past, only to be reminded that they weren't technically knights, merely his knaves. Perhaps that was why he hadn't done anything like this sooner. Because, he simply forgot that they weren't official knights. If all went well today, and he knew it would, he would certainly take care of that.

Meta Knight, his wings unfurled and wrapped around his body, watched from his position behind the bushes as his soon-to-be-fellow-knights gazed around impatiently from just outside of Whispy Woods Forest, their armor reflecting the mid-morning sun and almost blinding him in the process.

"Where's Meta Knight?" Sword wondered. "It's not like him to be late. Especially when it comes to training."

Blade shrugged. "Eh, he's probably spying on us. I can't be the only one who feels like we're being watched."

"Ha ha! Yeah, that sounds like something he'd do. But, in case it's not him, we better stay sharp."

"Right."

 _Ah, good instincts, boys._ But, Meta Knight remained where he was, welcoming the shadows that seemed to naturally draw close to him, wrapping themselves around him and keeping him near-invisible. Though normally an unwanted reminder of...certain things, their camouflage could be rather useful, he had to admit.

Meta Knight's mind buzzed with anticipation as he waited for the signal. It had been a long time since he'd been in a real fight, and adrenaline was already flooding his body. This would surely be a good battle. The shadows surrounding him danced and held him tighter, reacting to his heightened emotions, yearning to be used for violence.

Then, Galaxia's temperature spiked so much that he almost cried out. As the heat died down, Meta Knight breathed and mentally thanked it. The sacred sword always seemed to know when his dark side started to overpower his light, and it always managed to remind him to pull himself together, that he wasn't the monster Nightmare had expected him to be.

A sword beam shot down from the sky. Sword and Blade jumped out of the way just in time. The beam wasn't big enough to cause any real damage, but it did leave a decent-sized tear in the ground.

"Kirby?" Sword exclaimed as he and his brother spotted the airborne, armor-clad source of the beam. "Watch where you're shooting that thing!"

"Yeah, you almost hit us!" Blade agreed. "What are you doing anyway?"

Kirby raised his lance to the sky. "We are pufflings, and we declare war on the wingless ones!"

Meta Knight mentally face-palmed, and Sword and Blade just said a flat, "What?"

Well, that was his que, he supposed. Meta Knight shot into the air. Sword and Blade turned their confused gazes on him. "You two." Meta Knight unsheathed Galaxia and pointed it at them. "Fight me. Fight _us_."

Before they could react, Meta Knight and Kirby dive-bombed them. Sword dodged Meta Knight while Blade intercepted Kirby's attack with his own sword. The battle began; Meta Knight taking on Sword, Kirby with Blade. Slash after slash, block after block. A rolling dodge here, a forward thrust there, a deliberately small sword beam or two, switching sparring partners at random intervals. A run-of-the-mill training session, nothing more, nothing less.

Then, Kirby and Meta Knight stole a glance at each other. No words were needed to convey what would happen next.

The Star Warriors flew up high. Below them, Sword and Blade braced themselves for whatever was coming next. Meta Knight's dark green eyes locked with Kirby's navy blue ones. "Like we practiced."

Kirby nodded. Did his eyes flash red just then? Perhaps not.

Meta Knight glared down at his knaves. "Know our power!"

Focusing their energy, they raised their weapons high. Small white lights formed on the tips as the Sword Beam began to form. Then, they touched the tips together. Sparks emanated from the joined lights, and the Star Warriors thrust downward as one. A huge Sword Beam, bigger than one had any hope of creating on their own, came barreling at Sword and Blade at high speed. The twins sprinted out of its way just as it landed, tearing its way through the dirt, creating a chasm that stretched out quite far before finally dying off in a heap of pale gray smoke. Sword and Blade stared in shock at the wreckage then looked at each other then up at the Star Warriors.

"No more playing around," Kirby announced. There it was again. That flash of red. Meta Knight was certain he didn't imagine it. Before he could say anything, Kirby barreled down at the twins, calling out, "It's time you know what _real_ power is!"

Suddenly, Meta Knight's instincts were screaming at him. Something was wrong. Very wrong. He flew after Kirby, who spun faster and faster in his freefall until he was using the Mach Tornado attack. Meta Knight _had_ taught him that move at some point. Right?

Sword and Blade jumped out of the way, and Kirby landed with his lance jammed almost comically into the ground. As he tried to yank it out, Blade smacked him with the blunt side of his sword. Kirby fell and rolled a little at the impact, but his lance was in his hand now. He briefly looked up at Meta Knight, who had drifted back on to the soft grass at this point. Kirby's eyes were blue again.

Strange.

Meta Knight's thoughts were halted by a sword slamming into his mask. He heard a loud _crack_ , and Sword said sheepishly, "Whoops. Sorry, Meta Knight."

Meta Knight felt around his mask. There was a sizable break in it, but it was still in one piece. Right. Time to focus on the battle. Meta Knight flew backwards then thrust his sword into the ground, sending a bolt of blue lightning at Sword. Sword made a rolling dodge then lunged at him while Meta Knight pulled Galaxia from the ground. Kirby came at Sword from behind, but Sword spun around and blocked his attack.

As Meta Knight pulled Galaxia out, he whipped around and intercepted Blade's near-successful sneak attack. Blade feinted left, but Meta Knight leaped back into the air and unleashed three consecutive Sword Beams. Blade dodged the first two and countered the third with a Sword Beam of his own. The two beams collided and burst into a glittering haze. Cutting through the pretty fog, Meta Knight flew directly over Blade and swooped down at him sword-first. Blade jumped out of the way but not without a gash in his armor. Fortunately, Meta Knight hadn't broken any skin. After all, the plan was to test their abilities, not to cause any serious damage. Meta Knight pulled Galaxia out of the ground-

 _Clang!_

Blade slammed his sword into Meta Knight's mask, but Meta Knight stood his ground, despite the vibrations the impact sent through his head. He readied an attack, but Blade reeled back in shock.

"Ah, geez!" Blade exclaimed. "I-I'm sorry, Meta Knight. It was accident!"

Suddenly, Meta Knight was acutely aware of his trademark mask sitting in the grass, split in two, as well as his own exposed, heavily scarred face. Sword and Kirby had stopped what they were doing and gawked briefly as well.

Then, Sword came over and stammered, "Uh, it's not all his fault, sir. I-I cracked your mask first, after all."

"I'm just gonna stand over here and play with Tangie," Kirby stated awkwardly, staring at the fluttering creature with noticeably less enthusiasm than usual.

Meta Knight looked from him to his knaves to his broken mask. That mask was made of some very strong material. Not easily broken, so that in itself was rather impressive. The twins had also displayed some great techniques and reflexes. They'd sustained some dents and a break or two in their armor but nothing that couldn't be easily repaired. Sure, Meta Knight had restrained himself, but he and Kirby together made for a tough combination. Fortunately, Sword and Blade were equally difficult to beat. Yes, they did well. Very well.

Meanwhile, his knaves were stock-still. This wasn't the first time their Lord's mask had been shattered, but _they_ had never been the culprits before. And, whenever Meta Knight's cute-but-battle-worn face was exposed against his own will, the normally even-tempered Star Warrior would become...angry, to say the least. Sword and Blade stood there anxiously, waiting for a verbal lashing at best and/or a physical lashing at worst. They watched breathlessly as he ran a hand over his face and his eyes turned orange as he slowly realized what had happened. Then, his eyes became light green as he considered...what? What was he thinking about? Then, they were...blue?

Meta Knight smiled and bent over to pick up the pieces of his mask. "Kirby, we are done here." With that, he threw his cape around himself and shot himself high into the sky.

"Uh…" Kirby drawled as he and the dwarves stared in shock at where Meta Knight had vanished. "I don't know how he did that, so I'm just gonna fly away like normal." And, he did just that, leaving Sword and Blade to ponder what this all meant for them.

* * *

 **I wasn't gonna cut it off there...but then I did. Either way, I think you guys can probably figure out whether or not Sword and Blade passed their assessment. Review!**


	11. First You Draw a Circle

**Whew! This came out more angsty than I expected, but I'm a sucker for that sort of thing, so here you go!**

* * *

 **Chapter Ten: First You Draw a Circle**

After storing his armor safely back at his home and taking a much-needed hot shower, Kirby had returned to the castle to search for Meta Knight. The young Star Warrior's thoughts were filled with questions only his senior could answer. Did Sword and Blade pass their assessment? If so, would they be rewarded somehow? If not, would they get a second chance? How had Meta Knight done that...teleporting...thing? Would he be teaching Kirby that move? Or, was that a more advanced skill that would be taught at a later date?

And, more importantly...why did Meta Knight feel like he had to hide his face and wings from everyone? He once mentioned that he was worried people would think his wings were monstrous, and it was clear by the look in his eyes as he'd explained that it had happened in the past, so that could be justified. But, why his face? Sure, he had some pretty bad scarring, but it wasn't like he was ugly. You couldn't see them as much from a distance anyway.

Rounding a corner in the hallways of Castle Dedede, Kirby pondered something else. Maybe, it wasn't' the scars that were the problem. Maybe, it was how he'd gotten them. Meta Knight never had explained where they'd come from, and Kirby had always assumed they'd come from the war. But, what if there was more to it? And, what about his wings? Was there more to those than appearance alone?

Lost in his own mind, Kirby turned another corner and collided with a waddle dee, not knocking either of them over but harming both of their faces.

Rubbing his possibly bruised face, Kirby smiled sheepishly at the waddle dee. "Whoops. Sorry, Bandana."

"It's okay," the waddle dee replied in a high, squeaky voice that almost sounded feminine. He readjusted the bright blue bandana on his head. "You look like you have a lot on your mind."

Bandana Dee, as everyone had started calling him, was a rather unusual waddle dee. While most of his kind were single-minded in nature, Bandana was remarkably intelligent, at least by waddle dee standards. Driven by a curiosity for the world around him as well as a fierce loyalty to his king and his fellow waddle dees (not necessarily in that order), he had spent countless hours learning to communicate with those who didn't speak...whatever language waddle dees spoke. He was also quite good with a spear and was even reason the Spear copy ability had been discovered.

Kirby shrugged. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. I was actually looking for Meta Knight. You seen him?"

Bandana nodded. "Mm-hm. He was heading to the dungeon. At least, I think it was him. I saw a blue cape, so I don't know who else it could have been." Suddenly, he hummed curiously and lowered his eyes a little. "Hey, what's that?"

"What's what?"

"That thing below your lip."

Confused, Kirby touched the spot Bandana was talking about. Sure enough, he felt something. A raised bit of skin. At least, that's what it felt like. "Hm. I need a mirror."

Fortunately, they were standing right next to the restroom. They went inside and, with a quick flap of his wings, Kirby hopped on to the edge of a sink and examined his face in the mirror. There was a small, reddish-purple mark just beneath his mouth. He didn't know what it was or where it came from, but it seemed oddly familiar for some reason.

"Well...I _was_ sword fighting with Sword, Blade, and Meta Knight this morning. We were fighting harder than usual, so maybe I got nicked without knowing it. Wouldn't be the first time." But, his armor had been covering that spot, hadn't it?

Bandana tilted his large head and probably would have frowned if he had a mouth. "I don't think that's a cut, Kirby. It looks more like a burn or maybe a rash or... I don't wanna say cancer, but...maybe you should get Dr. Ebrum to look at it."

"Maybe." But, it could wait until he talked to Meta Knight. He felt perfectly fine, so it couldn't have been anything too serious, could it?

* * *

The dungeon was pretty much what you'd expect. Dark, dreary, full of spiders and weird smells. It hadn't been used in years, unless you were using it as a pathway to the wine cellar or the welding station. And, the welding station was just where Kirby found who he was looking for.

His back to his fellow Star Warrior, Meta Knight had just finished fixing his mask, by the looks of it. Suddenly nervous, Kirby simply stood in the entrance as his mentor held up his silvery mask and inspected his handiwork.

"It is impolite to stare, my friend."

Kirby jumped at the familiar baritone. "Sorry. If you're busy, I can come back later. I just wanted to know some stuff."

Since Kirby was already familiar with his true appearance, Meta Knight turned around without putting his mask on. It was instead gripped in both hands as he nodded, silently telling Kirby to speak.

Kirby started with the things he knew Meta Knight would tell him. "So...how did Sword and Blade do? Did they pass?"

Meta Knight smiled at that, his now-blue eyes glowing brighter. "With flying colors." His smile turned wistful as he gazed down at his mask. "It's...strange. I still remember the day we met, the day I saved them from the Wolfwrath. I don't know if you know this, Kirby, but they were barely over thirteen when we met."

"I...didn't know that. I knew they were young, but…" Goodness, they were practically children, and they were already homeless bandits?

Meta Knight frowned sadly. "The rest of their story is...not mine to tell. I have done what I could for them over the years, but sometimes...I...wonder just how good of a guardian I was to them."

Kirby was at a loss for words.

Then, Meta Knight smiled and shook his head. "Forgive me. I seem to be showing my age."

"No, not all," Kirby assured with a small smile. "I like seeing this side of you. It doesn't come up often enough."

"Well, don't get used to it. Now, I know you did not merely seek me out to ask about Sword and Blade."

Busted. Kirby shuffled his feet. He had never asked about this before and frankly wasn't sure how his mentor would react. "Um. I've been wondering..." May as well just say it. "Meta Knight, why do you hide your wings and face?"

Meta Knight was silent for a long time, his eyes locked on his mask as they flickered in a pattern of gray, red, light green, and white. Kirby mentally cringed. Perhaps he shouldn't have asked. He was about to apologize and excuse himself when his mentor finally spoke, seeming to weigh his words carefully, pausing between them even more than usual.

"Kirby...there are...things that...that I just can't discuss. I trust you. I truly do, else I wouldn't have shown you in the first place. It's just…" He sighed, suddenly looking like the thousand-year-old war veteran that he was. "All I wish to say is that…" He paused for so long that Kirby thought he wouldn't say anything else. "I pray you never go through...what I went through."

Kirby's heart went out to him, and tears stung his eyes. He had never, ever seen Sir Meta Knight look so...fragile? Broken? It was such a foreign sight, he couldn't even find the right word to describe it.

Meta Knight scowled and shook his head clear. His eyes were yellow again, but they looked duller than usual. "I-I'm sorry. I don't know what came over m-" Kirby had walked up to him and now had his arms wrapped tightly around his senior, who froze at the unexpected contact. "Kirby. The hugging. We talked about this, did we not?"

Burying face in his shoulder, not caring that the armor (shoulder and facial) was uncomfortable to lean on and would probably leave a(nother) mark on his face, Kirby responded with a muffled, "You need this."

"I don't-" Meta Knight sighed, giving in. He didn't return the embrace, but he did pat Kirby's back with one hand. "You are a bleeding heart, my friend." Then, he muttered, "I fear that it may one day be your downfall."

Kirby just rolled his eyes and pulled away, much to the touch-repulsed Meta Knight's relief. As Meta Knight smiled softly and put his mask on, Kirby said, "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Meta Knight wrapped himself in his cape, though the act seemed less habitual and more self-conscious than usual. "You make it sound easy, but it is… How shall I say this? A story such as mine is...not easy to tell. Even Sword and Blade don't know. I just don't think any of you would fully understand."

Kirby frowned thoughtfully. Maybe he wouldn't understand, but he could try, right? Something as simple as a conversation could lead to monumental results. He wanted to help Meta Knight, and it seemed that Meta would need a little convincing. Hm.

"You got a pen and some paper?" Kirby asked.

Confused, Meta Knight hummed and looked toward one end of the room. "I think someone left a pad over there."

"Perfect!" Kirby raced over, grabbed the notepad and pen off the floor, and went back to the welding table and slammed both items on top of it. As Meta Knight cautiously walked up beside him, he said, "Okay. I know what you're thinking, but this is going somewhere." Meta Knight simply nodded. Kirby brought the pen down to the lined piece of paper. "First, you draw a circle."

"...Alright."

"Then, you dot the eyes."

"Mm-hm."

"Add a great, big smile."

"Mm-hm."

"And, presto! It's me!" Kirby grinned and pointed at his drawing with the pen. It wasn't technically a drawing of him. It was more like a simple smiley face. But, if one added arms, feet, wings or a cape, and cheek marks- Okay, maybe it was just a smiley face, but that wasn't the point. "Do you get what I'm saying, Captain Blueberry?"

Meta Knight focused light green eyes on the drawing for a moment. "That you are...fairly easy to draw?"

Kirby shook his head goodnaturedly. "Oh, Captain, my captain." He'd always wanted to say that. "I'm saying that something simple can lead to something more complex."

Meta Knight's eye color didn't change. "I think my penchant for cryptic messages and wordplay is rubbing off on you, my friend."

"What made you _draw_ that conclusion?"

"Are my puns that bad?"

"Sometimes they're worse. But, we're getting sidetracked. What I'm getting at is that the simplest acts can lead to more complex results. I'm easy to draw, but I'm a very complex individual."

"Can't argue with that," Meta Knight muttered.

Kirby ignored the implication. "You telling me what's bothering you is a simple task, but it would lead to a whirlwind of discomfort and possibly embarrassment on your part. That said, it would also give me a deeper understanding of the great Sir Meta Knight. And, it would give you someone to talk to. Wouldn't that ease the burden a little?"

Meta Knight stared at him for a while, his eyes turning light blue but with a seafoam green tinge around the edges. "You have...given me something to think about."

And, that was when he noticed something on Kirby's face. Until now, Kirby had completely forgotten about that mark below his lip. Meta Knight gingerly reached out and gently touched it with his thumb. Then, he retracted his hand and brought it to his mask, his eyes orange now.

" _That's_ where I've seen it before," Kirby realized. Meta Knight had lots of those marks on his face. Probably the reason it hadn't dawned on him sooner was that Meta's were more bluish-purple than reddish-purple. "So, what is it, exactly? Is it just, like, something pufflings get as they get older?"

"Eh…" Meta Knight drawled. Kirby's stomached knotted at his reaction. "It is...nothing serious, I assure you. This is merely cosmetic, much like your recoloration from light pink to dark. Or, the rainbow iris gene that makes my eyes change color. Nothing all that important."

Scared now, Kirby grabbed his arm as he tried to move past. "You're lying."

"I most certainly am not."

"Liar, liar, pants on fire."

"We don't even wear pants."

"Hang 'em on a telephone wire."

"Kirby."

"I don't know the rest of that rhyme, but-"

"Kirby!"

"Meta, if something's wrong with me, don't you think I should know?"

"Unhand me!"

"What are you hiding from me? What is this weird mark? And, why do you have so many of them?"

"They are just scars, Kirby. Nothing to concern yourself with. Now, let. Me. Go!"

"Dammit, Meta! Just tell me the truth!"

Meta Knight was about to dodge the truth again, but he noticed the frightened tears in Kirby's eyes. Not to mention the fact that Kirby _swore_. Sure, it was a mild curse, but Meta had never heard his comrade use even the mildest curses before. Then, he remembered that Kirby had genuinely no idea how his kind matured or what kind of diseases they could get or anything of the sort. Meta Knight felt guilty that he'd never explained such things. It had never seemed important. Now, for all Kirby knew, he could have had some kind of cancer or something. Just because Meta Knight was sensitive about his own scars didn't mean that he had to snap at Kirby about it.

"I'm sorry." Meta Knight said, downcast. Kirby blinked in surprise and released his grip on Meta's arm. "I promise you, you have a small scar. Nothing more and nothing less."

Kirby tilted his head, his face taking on that blank expression he used when he was thinking hard about something. "Then, what was all that about?"

Meta Knight wrapped his cape back around himself and ashamedly avoided eye contact. "My scars are...a touchy subject. Seeing you have your own...brought up some things…" He finally met Kirby's worried gaze. "My sincerest apologies. I don't know why I am so, eh, moody today, for lack of a better word."

Kirby half-smiled. "You? Moody? Never."

Meta's eyes flashed pink before returning to normal. "Alright, wise guy. That's enough sentimentality for one afternoon. Now, if you will excuse me."

He started out the door, but Kirby's small voice stopped him. "I'm here if you need me."

Meta Knight's eyes turned blue but with gray edges. "I know. And, I thank you for such kindness."

* * *

 **I don't _think_ I made Meta Knight too OOC. I mean, we don't really know what goes on in his head. And, frankly, he went through a lot of crap, so... Also, Sword and Blade are teenagers in the Japenese version of the anime, so I exaggerated some things.**

 **Meh. Whatever. Just review, if you'd please!**


	12. Knights in Shining Armor

**My favorite part of this chapter is the scene with Sword and Blade (you'll know what I mean when you read it), partly because the speech involved is a reference to the "Warriors" series by Erin Hunter.**

 **Fun fact: That series is what got me into reading in the first place, so thank you, Erin Hunter, for turning me into the bookworm that I am today.**

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven: Knights in Shining Armor**

The room was rather sparse for the most part, containing nothing more than a bed, a television (which probably wouldn't be there if it weren't considered mandatory, as it was hardly ever used), and a small lamp on a wooden nightstand, as well as a few books scattered on the floor. The only thing that showed the bedroom even belonging to anyone was the various framed photographs of waddle dees aligning the cream-colored walls. Meta Knight remembered the first time he had come into this room. Waddle Doo was more than eager to show him those pictures.

"This is the day Jackson finally figured out how to wield a sword without hurting himself and others. And, this me and Elizabeth when we was showin' the little ones how to properly present food and such to His Majesty. And, this is Andrew and Bethany on the day their son, Malcolm - who you now know as Bandana Dee - was born. And, this is…"

How he could tell all those seemingly identical waddle dees apart, Meta would never know. Though, such a skill likely came in handy, considering Waddle Doo was their commander. Meta Knight had commanded his own fleet in the past, but that had consisted of only five soldiers (though, Javelin was a robot that had been programmed to obey him, so it might not have counted), up to seven if Garlude and Jecra joined them for a particular mission. But, Waddle Doo somehow managed to keep...well... _a lot_ of soldiers, identical ones at that, under control, and Meta Knight couldn't help admiring him for it.

But, today Captain Waddle Doo was not commanding his fleet. Today, he was in bed, recovering from some illness that Meta Knight couldn't quite remember the name of, though it was evidently a species-exclusive one.

"You are looking a lot better, my friend," Meta Knight commented, standing at his comrade's bedside.

Waddle Doo sat up in bed, emitting a soft grunt despite not having a mouth. The fact that a single blue-violet eye took up the entirety of his face had been a bit unnerving at first, but it hadn't taken long to get used to such a sight. Hell, Nova knows Meta had seen much stranger. "I'm feelin' a lot better too. Even managed to eat somethin' earlier." How did he eat, exactly? Meta wasn't sure he wanted to know. "'Course, it was just some toast and a few slices of apple."

"Any progress is still progress."

"Yeah, I guess." Waddle Doo patted the space next to him. "Why don't ya sit down. Sorry I don't have any chairs or nothing, but it's pretty cozy up here."

On the bed? It seemed a little...intimate. Maybe Waddle Doo didn't see it that way, but… "Thank you, but I will stand. I cannot stay long, anyway."

"His Majesty's orders?"

Meta Knight let a grin slip out, but only because he knew his mask covered it. Though, he wouldn't be surprised if his eyes changed color. "No, no. Nothing that ridiculous." Waddle Doo chuckled a bit at that. "Do not let this get out, but I plan to knight Sword and Blade."

Waddle Doo's eye lit up at that. "Ya don't say. Ha! Here, I thought you'd already done that."

"Well, eh, not officially."

Waddle Doo looked around, as though making they were alone. (Which they were, else Meta Knight would have sensed otherwise.) "Well, I got a secret for you, too. Thing is, I ain't getting any younger. I love the waddle dees and I love leading them, but I'd still like to live the remainder of my days not having to worry about how their performing and what the king wants and all that."

"Ah. You plan on retiring soon, yes?"

Waddle Doo nodded. "I've thinking about it a lot, and I think I'd like to."

Meta Knight hummed in approval. "It would be a bit of a change, but you of all people deserve to take time to yourself. But, my friend, the way you speak, it sounds as if you think you will be gone by tomorrow."

Waddle Doo rubbed below his eye in thought. "Does it? Didn't mean for it to come out like that." He shrugged. "Either way, that's not the only secret I'm sharing."

"Oh?"

Waddle Doo leaned in closer and lowered his voice. "I was thinking that maybe I'd make Malcolm the new boss." He leaned back again and spoke at a normal pitch. "He's a smart guy, and he's been doin' a great job in my place. So, why not? Gonna need a successor sometime, right?"

Bandana Dee, a leader? Meta Knight smiled at that. Bandana did seem to be holding his own as a commander. He was a bit excitable, sure, but he could learn to tone that down. Meta nodded. "I think he would like that very much."

They were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Captain Waddle Doo?" called a familiar squeaky voice. "It's Malcolm. Can I come in?"

"Speak of the 'dee," Waddle Doo said before calling out, "Come in, Malcolm."

Bandana Dee opened the door and stepped inside. "I was just checking on y- Oh! Sir Meta Knight. I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were here. Not that I mind. I mean-"

"I was just leaving anyway," Meta Knight said.

But, that only seemed to make him more anxious. "Oh, d-don't leave on my account."

"No, no," Meta Knight assured. "I have some things I should be doing." Then, he said to Waddle Doo, "Take care, my friend."

Waddle Doo winked at him. Maybe. "You too, pal. Now, Malcolm, we got some stuff we need to talk about."

Meta Knight didn't get very far before he heard an excited squeal and some loud thank-you's. He made a mental note to congratulate Bandana Dee later.

* * *

"You think Meta Knight's mad?" Meta Knight heard Blade ask as he stood outside the twins' shared bedroom. Ordinarily, Meta wouldn't dream of eavesdropping on his comrades and dear friends, but the question caught him off-guard.

Sword hesitated before replying. "I don't know. He didn't _seem_ mad. His eyes would've been red if he was, right?" There was a pause. "Still...Meta Knight does hate when his face is exposed like that. I mean, it's not like anyone was around who hasn't already seen it, but…"

"I don't get what his deal is. Not like he's ugly. If anything, he's kind of adorable. Uh, don't tell him I said that."

Fighting back a twinge of guilt (perhaps he could be a bit, er, touchy where his face was concerned) Meta Knight knocked on the door. "Sword, Blade. Are you decent?"

No response, then Sword stammered, "Uh, y-yes, sir. You can come in."

Meta Knight opened the door and stepped inside. The room was as messy as it always was. Clothes on the floor, waste basket overflowing with crumpled papers and empty cans and wrappers. Meta Knight mentally cringed. He himself couldn't stand it if his own sleeping quarters was like this, but they always seemed fine with it for some reason. At least the beds were made. They had removed their armor in order to treat the few wounds they had received, and bandages fell to the floor as they stood up to face him.

Meta Knight cleared his throat, but Sword was the first to speak. "W-We're really sorry about earlier, Meta Knight."

"We didn't mean to break your mask," Blade confirmed. "Honest."

There was that guilt again. Forced exposure was one of the few things that could set him off, and they all knew it. "Do not worry yourselves, my friends. I am not cross with you." They didn't seem convinced. "Very well. I shall prove it to you. Meet me on the castle's balcony, the one that over-looks the garden. Eight 'o clock tonight. Wear your armor." Before he could leave, Blade called out his name. Meta Knight met his light brown gaze. "Yes?"

Blade shrunk back a little, as though rethinking what he was about to say. He fiddled with his hands and barely made eye contact. "I was just wondering… Uh, why are you so intent on hiding your face?"

Meta Knight flinched a bit.

"Blade!" Sword hissed disapprovingly

"What?" Blade hissed back. "I just wanna know."

"It's fine." Meta Knight assured. But, it really wasn't. It wasn't that he didn't trust them. He just...didn't know how they would react if they knew the truth. Would they look at him the same way? _Could_ they? Or, would they be afraid of him? He released a near-imperceptible shudder at the thought. No. They couldn't find out. No one could. He inhaled slowly and said, "There is...much that I want to tell you, but…"

Seeing the look in his eyes, they wisely dropped the subject.

* * *

The rest of the day was pretty unremarkable. That is, other than when Meta Knight congratulated Bandana Dee on his promotion, and the waddle dee hugged him in child-like glee. That had been rather uncomfortable, but Meta didn't have the heart to spoil his enthusiasm by saying so.

But, that was irrelevant. Because, now his mood couldn't have been better as he stood on the balcony's brick railing (if one could even call it a railing, as it was more of a ledge of sorts), admiring the view. Countless stars speckled the sky, and a full moon shone bright. Below, the castle garden was illuminated by both the moonlight and the many fireflies that flitted about, giving the garden an eerie sort of beauty. Meta Knight breathed in then exhaled. No matter his mood, natural beauty such as this always managed to ease his mind. It reminded him that there was always something worth fighting for, something worth living for. One particularly bright firefly flew higher and higher, heading straight for him.

Wait…

It was that butterfly again. The glowing insect hovered in front of Meta Knight's curious green eyes, as though it expected him to speak.

So, he did. "You...can't be just an insect… Can you?"

But, the butterfly just flew off into the night, leaving Meta Knight, quite literally, in the dark.

"We're here, sir." Sword's voice broke through his thoughts, reminding him of why he was out there in the first place.

Meta Knight turned around, his eyes glowing a soft blue. They had worn their armor as he'd instructed, but he could sense their curiosity of why he had called them there. "Kneel before me," he instructed.

After glancing at each other and emitting some confused sounds, they walked up to him and knelt down, bowing their heads respectfully.

Meta Knight slowly pulled Galaxia out of its scabbard and raised it to the stars. "I, Sir Meta Knight of Dreamland, call on my ancestors to gaze upon these two. They have worked hard to understand the ways of chivalry and swordsmanship, and it is with great pride that give them to you as true knights and Star Warriors. After far too long, I might add."

Blade excitedly nudged his brother and whispered, "Is this actually happening?"

" _Shut up_ ," Sword hissed back.

Meta Knight's eyes flashed pink before regaining their blue glow. "Sworcio. Bladence." They looked up at that. "Do you swear to uphold a code of honor, to fight for justice, and to protect the innocent, even at the cost of your lives?"

"Yes, sir," they said sincerely.

"Then under the watchful eyes of my fallen comrades, I dub thee," he lowered Galaxia to just above Sword's shoulder, "Sir Sword Knight," he did the same for Blade, "and Sir Blade Knight." Meta raised his sword again then lowered it to his side. "You are honored for you compassion and your courage in battle, and it is my hope that you will pass these traits down to future generations." Finally, he returned Galaxia to its scabbard and wrapped his cape around himself. "You are dismissed."

He hopped down from the ledge and walked passed his stunned comrades, his heart swollen with pride. And, even though he was never one for being hugged, when Sword Knight and Blade Knight practically leaped on him and blurted out thank-you's, he allowed it. Just this once.

But, if you asked him if he hugged back, he would deny it.

* * *

 **Meta Knight is a closet sweetheart. We all know that by now. Review!**


	13. Return to Dreamland

**I sincerely hope you enjoyed the fluff that the previous chapter had to offer, 'cause fluff is something that this chapter is sorely lacking! Though, you do get to see some waddle dees being adorable.**

 **Also, Kirby is so pure that he mentally censors all swear words. You can thank FountainPenguin and her _Fairly OddParents_ fic, "Frayed Knots," for giving me that idea.**

* * *

 **Chapter Twelve: Return to Dreamland**

 _It was raining fruit. Everything from apples to watermelons to tomatoes (yes, tomatoes are fruits) fell from the gray storm clouds above, the ominous sky a weird juxtaposition to the miraculous weather. Seriously, how often does it rain fruit?_

 _Kirby ran around with his mouth wide open, catching as much as he could, relishing the sweetness or the tartness of whatever delicious fruit graced his tongue. But, the more he ran, the less fruit fell and the darker the sky and landscape became. Soon enough, there was no fruit. The sky was still covered in gray clouds, but it was red like a cloudy sunset. The Green Greens region of Dreamland wasn't so, well, green anymore. Kirby slowed to a stop. The landscape was barren, lifeless, as if nothing and no one had been there in a very long time. Cold, hard stone chilled the bottoms of his bare feet and covered the area in uneven strips. A harsh wind gush whipped against his cape. Thunder crashed loudly from above, making Kirby flinch at the unnatural volume of it. Surely he hadn't wandered that far, had he?_

 _Another unexpected sound arrived from behind him. It was very quiet, like it didn't want to be heard, but it almost sounded like...a sob. Was someone crying?_

 _He turned around. A few feet away from him was a puffling who hadn't been there before, crouched on all fours, face tilted toward the ground almost ashamedly. Kirby could see tiny dark spots on the stone where the puffling's tears landed, and Kirby's heart went out to him. But, what was this stranger doing out here? Then again, what was Kirby himself doing out here?_

 _But, wait. The puff was dark blue with a slightly darker cape blanketed over his shaking form. But, it- No, it couldn't be. It had to be a coincidence. They just looked similar, is all. And, this one wasn't wearing any armor, and the person he was thinking of always wore at least a metal mask._

 _Kirby slowly approached him. "Hey, are you alright?"_ Really, Kirby? _he scolded himself._ He's crying in the middle of nowhere. Do you _think_ he's alright? _Kirby pushed the thought aside in favor of a more suitable, "What's wrong?"_

 _At that point, the puff looked up at him. That face. It_ wasn't _a coincidence. Even with fresh tears pouring over those familiar scars and pink cheek marks, there was no mistaking it._

" _Meta Knight?" Kirby said, even more worried now that he knew it was a friend_ _. "What's going on? What's the matter?"_

 _Meta Knight turned his grief-stricken gaze to the side. Confused, Kirby looked in the same direction and jumped back in shock. Three blood-soaked bodies lay on the ground. Two men and one woman, by the looks of it._

 _Kirby's heart pounded so hard, he was sure it would explode. His feet seemed to move of their own volition, carrying him closer to the bodies, forcing him to get a better look._

 _He recognized them._

 _Sword. Blade. Tiff. All dead. Covered in deep gashes and stab wounds and blood. Even Tiff's pregnant stomach had been severed._

 _Kirby couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. It was as if his brain had shut down, unable to process the sight before him. What- How- Why-_

 _He whipped his head back to Meta Knight, hoping for answers, but Meta Knight was gone. He turned back, and the bodies were gone. Even the blood had vanished. Instead, there was another puffling, one Kirby didn't recognize. This one had black skin and didn't seem to have any cheek marks. His cape started out red then faded to orange at the end, and he had pale orange feet. But, what really caught Kirby's attention were his eyes. They were pure white with no pupils to speak of. It was kind of creepy, but...somehow Kirby just knew this man wasn't hostile. There was a certain air about him, and Kirby felt more relaxed just by being in his presence._

 _The puffling ran a bit away then turned around and stared at him with those colorless eyes._

" _You… You want me to follow you?" Kirby asked._

 _So, they ran. Farther and farther into the barren wasteland. The more they ran, the less, well, anything there was in their surroundings, until only the solid ground beneath them remained. Even the clouds had vanished from the still-red sky._

" _Where are we going?" Kirby called._

 _But, he didn't get an answer. The black puffling just kept running. Eventually, he stopped so suddenly that Kirby almost ran right into him. Kirby looked around. As far as he could tell, there was nothing all that interesting or significant. Heck, there wasn't anything at all. Just flat stone as far as the eye could see._

 _The black puffling slowly turned around, his hands folded loosely, like he had something in them. Kirby gazed curiously at him, not sure what to expect at this point. Then, the puff opened his hands, revealing the butterfly resting inside._

" _Tangie?" Kirby said in surprise. He'd recognize those orange ombre wings anywhere. Besides, as far as he knew, most insects didn't sparkle._

 _The puff lifted his hands above his head, and Tangie flew up into the sky, vanishing as it flew higher, until only a trail of white glitter was left._

" _I don't understand," Kirby said to the puffling._

 _The puffling lowered one hand, and a sword appeared in the hand still in the air. The sword had a dark orange serrated blade, a golden handle with a butterfly wing design, and two blue gemstones, one on the handle and one on the end of the blade. White eyes betraying nothing, he drew the sword back-_

 _-and plunged it into Kirby's chest._

Kirby woke with a harsh gasp and a cold sweat. He managed to calm down upon noticing a distinct lack of physical injuries, but that didn't stop his mind from racing. Who was that black puffling? Kirby was certain he would have remembered someone like that. And, what did Tangie have to do with anything? More importantly, what had happened to Tiff, Sword, and Blade?

Even more importantly, how did Kirby get outside?

He sat up and looked this way and that. Yep. He was outside, sitting in the dewy grass, stars speckling the dark sky above him. He wasn't too far from his house, but still. He didn't remember camping out. Had he been sleepwalking? With his wings out? Sleep _flying_? Was that a thing? He would have to ask Meta Knight.

Something shot through the sky and crashed into a nearby tree. Whatever it was landed in the branches hard enough to shake the entire tree, scattering leaves everywhere. What the heck? What was that, and where did it come from?

He heard a familiar voice release a stream of profanities that Kirby winced at that sound of. But, in Meta Knight's defense, a landing that sudden and that rough probably didn't feel too good. Kirby gave his feathery wings a quick flap and flew up to the tree to make sure his mentor was alright.

Fortunately, Meta Knight stopped cursing when he realized that he wasn't alone. He didn't appear injured, though he was shaking so much that even his wings were vibrating. His eyes were blood-red but filled with- Hey, were those real tears? Kirby suddenly flashed back to his dream, but that wasn't the only thing that knotted his stomach.

No, what really bothered him - besides the fact that _Meta Knight_ was tearing up over something - was the sense of dread that suddenly came over him. A telltale sign that something was very, very wrong.

And, his suspicions were confirmed when Meta Knight snapped a loud, " _What_!?" at him. It was a stark contrast from his normally quiet demeanor.

Forcing back his anxiety, Kirby landed next to him on the thick branch. "Are you okay?"

" _Yes_!" Meta Knight sniffed and briefly pressed his wet eyes into his arm. "Have you seen any suspicious characters come by here?"

 _You mean, besides you?_ Kirby stopped himself from saying. Now was absolutely not the time for sarcasm. "No, I haven't."

Meta Knight stomped his foot, shaking the branch and nearly making Kirby lose his balance. "Then, what %$#&ing good are you!?"

Kirby stood there motionless. Who was this person? The foul language - seriously, what the heck, man? - was in-character, but the yelling, the borderline _tantrum_? Either this wasn't the real Meta Knight, or things were even worse than Kirby thought.

Meta Knight's eyes turned gray around the edges, but it was clear that he was still pretty angry about something. He sighed in a way that almost sounded defeated. "I'm sorry. I just- I- _Argh_! I don't have time for this!"

"Wait-"

But, before Kirby could say anything, Meta Knight bolted back into the air so fast that the branch shook vigorously and Kirby almost fell off. Kirby flew out of the tree and searched the starry sky, but Meta Knight was nowhere to be found. Dang, he was fast. Just when Kirby was about to give up, he saw a dark spot that blended in almost perfectly with the night, heading toward the castle.

Kirby wondered if he should follow. If Meta Knight was this upset over something, then he might need help, right? His mind made up, Kirby flew after him and was immediately surprised by how fast he was going. But, he didn't think too hard about it and simply chalked it up to adrenaline.

When Meta Knight reached the castle's balcony and retracted his wings, Kirby landed on the brick ledge behind him. Kirby was going to ask what was wrong, but he was distracted by a seemingly never-ending stream of waddle dees charging through the hallway. This night was getting weirder and weirder.

Sword and Blade, their armor clanking loudly when they bumped into each other, shoved their way through the crowd, who kept running as if the twins weren't there. When the two managed to break through, they quickly approached Meta Knight, ignoring Kirby completely.

"Couldn't find anything out of the ordinary, sir," Sword reported. "Nothing's broken, nothing's left behind, no clues about how this could've happened."

Blade nodded. "Whoever did this knows what they're doing." He looked up. "Oh, Kirby! You helping out?"

Meta Knight whipped around. "Kirby? What are you doing here?" He still sounded thoroughly ticked off, but at least he had calmed down somewhat.

"You're upset," Kirby said simply, hopping off the ledge. "I wanted to see if there was anything I could help with." Meta Knight was silent, so Kirby asked, "So, what exactly _is_ going on here? And, why are all the waddle dees freaking out?"

Sword and Blade looked at each other as Meta Knight stormed up to the crowd behind them. Blade started to speak but he was interrupted by Meta Knight screaming, " _Out of my way_!"

The waddle dees responded by coming to a screeching halt, adorably tripping over each other and rolling around in the process. They quickly made a path for Meta Knight - _no one_ argued with him when he was angry - who rushed down the hall. After a few tense, silent seconds, the waddle dees apparently decided that it was safe to keeping running.

Meanwhile, Kirby just stared in shock. Meta Knight had gotten angry in the past, but it was always a quiet sort of anger. But, this? This was something else. Kirby tried to think of _any_ time he had heard his mentor raise his voice. Um…

Oh, yeah. It was after Tiff's husband, Callum was killed by that WolfWrath. At first, Meta Knight had been real quiet, even more so than usual, which made sense, given the circumstances. He'd also been dead silent (probably not the best choice of words) at the funeral, so when he'd left a little earlier than everyone else, Kirby (with Tiff's permission, of course) had decided to check on him.

 _Meta Knight had gone pretty far from the service. Kirby had found him out in a clearing that was mostly grass and bushes and a tree or two. They were the only ones there, but maybe that was the point._

 _Before Kirby could say anything, he heard a low growl that sent chills down his back. But, there weren't any monsters that he could see._

 _Meta Knight punched the nearest tree, sending leaves everywhere and informing Kirby of where that sinister growl had come from._

" _Meta Knight," Kirby said cautiously._

 _His mentor didn't answer at first, didn't even bother trying to wipe the leaves off his head and cape. Then, he sighed and opened his fist, his now-open palm resting on the bark. "You should be with Tiff." His voice was stern, but there was a sadness to it as well._

 _Kirby took a step closer. "So should you." He kept moving until he was directly behind his grieving friend. Now, he could see how much Meta Knight was shaking. "It's okay to be sad, Meta. We all are. Callum was… He was...a-a really great guy." He blinked away the tears that had started forming. He wasn't used to being the strong one - Nova knew he'd been crying as much as anyone else during the funeral - but he had to do his best. "A-And, I know you liked him, too. I mean, I know everyone deals with things in their own ways, but… I-I'm here if you need to talk."_

 _More silence, then Meta Knight whispered, "It should have been me."_

 _Kirby frowned deeper in surprise. "Excuse me?"_

" _They should be burying_ me _. Not Callum. I should have done more." Meta Knight's hand curled back into a fist. "Fought harder. Acted faster._ Something _!"_

 _Kirby flinched. This was the first time, in all the years he'd know him, that he heard the even-tempered Star Warrior raise his voice. Even the atmosphere felt thicker, darker, like a sense of dread had covered the area. Kirby shivered. "This isn't your fault, Meta. You couldn't have known what would happen. And, it's like you told me; just because we're Star Warriors doesn't mean we can save everyone. No matter how much we want to, we just can't."_

" _You don't get it!" Meta Knight finally faced him then, looking dangerously close to breaking. "I was right there, Kirby! I could have saved him! This only happened because I wasn't good enough!"_

" _Well, I was there too, so I guess I wasn't good enough either, then," Kirby countered shakily._

 _Meta Knight didn't respond._

 _Kirby sniffed and wiped his eyes. "You should talk to Tiff."_

 _Meta Knight's gray eyes blinked rapidly. His next words words were so soft that Kirby could barely hear them. "I can't face her right now…"_

"Kirby! Yoo-hoo! Popstar to Kirby!

Kirby blinked back to reality and to Blade's hand waving in front of his face. "What? Sorry. Just kind of in shock right now."

"I don't blame you," Blade said. "Meta Knight doesn't act like this. He just doesn't."

"You see, Kirby," Sword said somberly, "someone broke into the castle 'bout an hour ago. Maybe not even that long."

What? That was definitely bad, and it explained the waddle dees' behavior. But, what about Meta Knight? "Why do I feel like there's more to this story?"

"'Cause, there is," Blade replied. "See Waddle Doo was trying to fight this guy off, and…it didn't end well…"

* * *

 **Uh, that happened. Wasn't planning on things ending up the way they did, but I hope you don't hate me for it... Review!**


	14. Do You Know the Muffin Man?

**If you thought the previous chapter was something, um... Enjoy this thing! I don't even know what the first half of it is!**

* * *

 **Chapter Thirteen: Do You Know the Muffin Man?**

"You're hiding something from your king, aren't you?" King Dedede accused loudly. Though, "loudly" seemed to be the only way the towering, overweight penguin knew how to speak.

A week had gone by since Waddle Doo's burial, and things had slowly returned to normal. Well, as normal as the circumstances would allow, anyway. The Cappies had been saddened by the news and frightened by the thought of a murderer lurking among them, but they never really knew Waddle Doo that well, so it was difficult for them to truly grieve over his demise. The waddle dees… Well, Nova knows what happens in their heads. Bandana Dee was handling the situation better than Meta Knight had anticipated, though it was clear that he was simply putting on a brave face. Still, the other waddle dees obeyed him, and he was proving himself to be a good leader thus far. The Ebrums and Kirby, of course, had known Waddle Doo better than most, so they of course had been shaken by the tragedy.

Dedede and Escargoon… Well, they were Dedede and Escargoon. Although, the latter had been far more sympathetic.

As for Meta, he had a lot on his mind. He couldn't look Bandana Dee in the eye. He avoided all waddle dees whenever possible (quite an accomplishment, considering how many lived in the castle with him). He avoided passing Waddle Doo's room if he could help it.

 _I could have done something…_

He. _Lived_. In the castle. Asleep or not, he should have known there was an intruder. He should have heard something, felt something in his gut. If only he'd been more alert or reacted quicker or not wasted two seconds putting on his Comet-damned mask-

" _Hey, Meta Knight_!" Dedede screamed in his face. "Answer me!"

"Yeah," Escargoon added, raising a light purple hand toward the "king," "just what are you hiding from His Majesty?"

In hindsight, Meta Knight thought, perhaps he had brought this amateur interrogation on to himself. He had done his best to behave as though everything was fine, but it seemed these two - or at least the king - had interpreted his grief and self-loathing as something else. So, now he was trapped in the throne room with an idiot and his lackey standing over him like they thought they could overpower him if need be. May as well humor them, he supposed.

"I assure you, I have nothing to hide," Meta said calmly. It was a lie, of course. He could have written a novel out of all the things he was hiding.

But, the main thing at the moment was Galacta Knight. It had been about three months since Kabu had warned him of the monster. Meta Knight may have been carrying on as normal, but that didn't mean Kabu's words didn't echo in the back of his mind.

" _IT IS YOUR DESTINY, META KNIGHT, TO SEEK OUT THIS EVIL AND DESTROY IT. THIS IS WHY GALAXIA CHOSE YOU."_

Meta couldn't help wondering...was it Galacta Knight who had snuck into the castle, who had killed Waddle Doo? What purpose would such a thing serve? A warning, perhaps? Or, perhaps not. Most monsters were incapable of thinking for themselves, and when they did, they were merely following orders. Of course, there were a handful of demon beasts that were sentient enough to have their own thoughts and desires, intelligent enough to carry out their own plans successfully. From the sound of things, Galacta Knight would certainly be capable of-

"Nothing to hide, eh?" Dedede sneered. "What about that mask of yours? You got something to hide under there, doncha?"

Escargoon placed a hand on his chin and sounded genuinely curious when he asked, "Come to think of it, what _do_ you look like under there?"

Meta held his cape the slightest bit tighter around himself. "What makes you think I am wearing a mask? Did it not occur to you this 'mask' may actually be my true appearance?"

They looked taken aback, unsure of how to respond, and Escargoon muttered, "Wonder if he eats like a waddle dee."

Meta chose to ignore the comment. "Forgive me, Sire, but might I ask what the point of this is?"

Dedede scowled at his question and took a step forward. Because, that made him _so_ much more intimidating… "You've been acting weird, and I wanna know why!"

Escargoon crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "It's not like you to be so jumpy. How do we know you're not plotting something?"

"Yeah," the king agreed. "You working with someone or something? Got yourself a bunch of lil' Escargoon's doing your bidding?" Escargoon seemed a bit miffed at that.

Meta suppressed an eyeroll. "Oh no. It seems I've been found out."

Escargoon's deepened scowl showed that he'd picked up on the sarcasm. King Dedede on the other hand laughed in triumph. "That's right! I caught you red-handed!" Escargoon facepalmed. "You may as well come clean, Meta Knight. Who are you working with, and what was your lil' plan? I'd like to know so's I can laugh at it while I throw you in the dungeon."

 _I swear, you've gotten dumber over the years._ Meta just had to talk his way around this foolishness. Shouldn't be too hard. "Sire...do you know...the muffin man?"

Escargoon rolled his eyes, but Dedede looked intrigued. "The muffin man?"

"The muffin man."

"Huh… Yeah, yeah, I know the muffin man. One who lives on Dreary Lane?"

Escargoon snorted then fake-coughed when the king glared at him. "Eh heh. Something was stuck in my throat."

Dedede's hand curled into a fist, and he pounded Escargoon on the head. As the snail painfully rubbed the sore spot, Dedede barked, "That oughta get it unstuck!" He turned back to Meta Knight. "Now, what's this about a muffin man?"

...He was actually buying this nonsense? Meta smirked. Maybe this would more fun than he thought. "Well, he was going to help us sneak into a witch's gingerbread house in the woods."

"A witch lives in the woods? And, in a gingerbread house, no less?" Dedede asked, completely convinced. Seriously, had this guy _never_ heard a nursery rhyme or fairy tale before? "How come I didn't know about that?"

Escargoon covered his mouth with both hands in a last-ditch attempt to hold back his giggles.

Meta paid him no mind but was glad his mask covered up his own grin. He just hoped his eyes weren't pink right now, though the king might not have known what that color meant anyway. "Well, maybe if you had climbed the Dreamstalk and-"

"I _have_ climbed it!"

"Oh? Then, I suppose you have spoken to the giant who lives up there."

"Uh…"

"I see. Anyway, since Jack had broken his crown in the process of trying to fetch a pail of water, and since the giant as a goose that lays golden eggs-"

"Hold up. Who's Jack, and why's he have a crown? He a prince or something?"

At that point, Escargoon burst into laughter. And, since his cover was pretty much blown as a result, Meta let out a quiet chuckle as well.

Dedede just looked back and forth between the two, slowly realizing what just happened. He growled at Meta Knight, "You're trying to mess with me!"

"Why, Your Majesty, I would _never_ do that," Meta Knight said, still chuckling as he walked out of the throne room.

"I know you're up to something!" Dedede called after him.

Still giggling, Meta closed the door behind him and composed himself. How someone that stupid managed to become king was beyond him. Then, he frowned. All joking aside, there was still the matter of his theory. Galacta Knight could be out there. Perhaps he would consult Kabu.

"Oh, Sir Meta Knight!" The tiny voice made him freeze where he stood, his hand still on the doorknob as Bandana Dee charged up to him. "I've been looking for you all week."

"I've, uh, been busy," Meta lied, choking down a fresh wave of guilt. He knew they would have to speak eventually, but… Maybe it was cowardly of him, but Meta had been hoping to put this off as long as possible.

Bandana Dee's eyes saddened. "Kirby said that you were taking... _this_ pretty hard. I just wanna make sure you're okay."

...He...wasn't angry? Of course not. He didn't know whose fault it was. "Are you?" Meta asked sincerely.

Bandana sighed. "I guess. I'm still getting used to everything, and I miss Captain Waddle Doo a lot, but I think I'm alright."

"That's good to hear, my friend."

Meta tried to sidestep him, but Bandana stepped in his way. "Are you alright, though?"

He wanted to lie. He wanted to say that he was fine and leave it at that. But...looking into those big, sympathetic brown eyes...he just couldn't. "Bandana...Malcolm, I…" He sighed. "I'm sorry. This-This is my fault."

Bandana blinked twice. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"I was right there, Bandana," Meta confessed, suddenly unable to meet this gaze. "If I had just been a little faster… If were stronger or more vigilant or _something_ -" Bandana flinched at his tone. Meta lowered his voice but couldn't push back his anger and wrapped his cape tightly around his almost-shaking shoulders. "I'm a knight, a Star Warrior. It is my sworn duty to protect people, yet look what I let happen!"

"Please, don't blame yourself, Sir Meta Knight," Bandana soothed. "I know I don't blame you."

Surprised by such kindness, Meta finally met his eyes. "You-You don't?"

Bandana shook his large head. "Nope. And, I'm pretty sure you're the only one who does. Come on, no one knew anything bad would happen. You did the best you could, right? That's what matters."

Meta smiled sadly under his mask. Malcolm was too kind for his own good. "Forgive me for my outburst."

"It's fine. We're all a little on-edge lately." Then, he turned more serious. "That reminds me; did you ever figure out who did it?"

Should he say? Maybe not. Bandana Dee didn't know about Galacta Knight, and Meta could have been wrong. (Though, his gut was telling him otherwise.) "I...have a theory. I was on my way to consult Kabu about it."

"Oh!" Bandana stepped aside. "Well, I won't keep you then."

Meta nodded. "Thank you. And, keep up the good work with the other waddle dees. Waddle Doo would be proud of how well you are doing."

Tears welled up in Bandana's eyes as he nodded and walked away.

But, before he could get too far, Meta called after him. "Wait." Bandana hastily wiped his eyes and turned around, deep sadness still lingering in them. "I once knew a man. Sir Morpho Knight, was his name." Meta's eyes glowed a fond blue as recalled his old friend. "He was a mentor to me, taught me everything I know about fighting and chivalry. Our time together, short as it was, was time that I will cherish for the remainder of my days."

"What happened to him?" Bandana asked, enamored by the story and quite possibly the mere fact that Meta was actually sharing something about his past with him.

Meta's eyes flashed gray but just as quickly returned to their natural yellow. "He was...rather old when we'd first met." Bandana didn't need to know the whole story. "But, they say that his spirit still lingers, watching over his fellow Star Warriors and helping them pass on when their times in this world end. I am telling you this because, while Waddle Doo was never an official Star Warrior, I am confident that Morpho has done the same with him. Why, perhaps Waddle Doo is watching over us even as we speak. I may have lost my own mentor, but years later I became a mentor myself. And, one day, Sword Knight, Blade Knight, and Kirby will surely pass down my teachings, the way I passed down Morpho's. Waddle Doo expects you to do the same with your fellow waddle dees, my friend. He made you his successor for a reason, did he not?"

As Meta turned to leave, he heard a thick, "Thank you," from behind.

Heart aching, though not quite as much as it once did, Meta turned around, nodded in acknowledgement at Bandana Dee, and continued on his way. He was aware that a certain shimmering insect had been perched on the wall throughout the conversation.

* * *

His sabatons crunched the colorful leaves beneath his feet. The crisp autumn air blew gently through the canyon, and Meta pulled his cape tighter against the cold as he stopped in front of the great totem.

But, before he could say anything, Kabu bellowed, "COME INSIDE. THERE IS SOMETHING YOU SHOULD SEE."

Meta nodded wordlessly and walked down the steps that led to Kabu's entrance. What the average person didn't know was that Kabu had a hollowed out inside. He was a refuge, a safe haven for Star Warriors, and He was often used as a shelter for them and their most valuable possessions. Meta stepped into the center of Kabu. There wasn't much to see, just a big, empty space. The only noteworthy thing was a small pedestal which held Kirby's Warp Star.

Meta's heart paused as he carefully approached the star, small enough to fit in your hand, only growing large enough to fly on when Kirby needed it to. Though its origin was unknown, it not only strengthened Kirby's already great power when summoned, but it was also linked with Kirby's very life. If one went, the other would soon follow. But, this is not what frightened Meta Knight.

No, what unnerved him was the Warp Star's unusual appearance. Under normal circumstances, it was a cheerful yellow and even seemed to be perpetually glowing. Now, however, it was alarmingly dull, almost sulfur-colored. Meta had been keeping a close eye on Kirby ever Sword Knight and Blade Knight's assessment, but nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

Unless...it had.

Now that Meta thought about it, Kirby had mastered his wings _much_ faster than most. And, where had Kirby learned the mach tornado technique? And, what if the flashing red eyes weren't his imagination, as Meta had originally thought? And, what if that mark on his face wasn't really a scar? And, why was he outside the night that Waddle Doo…

The orange butterfly flew inside and landed next to the Warp Star, tentatively tapping it with its tiny leg.

"DO YOU KNOW THE MUFFIN MAN, META KNIGHT?" Kabu asked.

* * *

 **I don't know how this happened. Things just escalated quicker than I thought they would. So, review! I guess.**


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